70 THE IRISH AGRARIAN PROBLEM. 



he was not disturbed in his occupation. From 

 time to time, however, there took place a revision 

 of rents corresponding to the state of the mark' 

 but never utilising it to the full, so th 



mt never paid a pure competition n.-nt (rack 



it). It was permitted to the tenant to sell 



his interest in the holding, an interest made 



by the improvements on the farm, and also 

 no doubt by his * goodwill.' In the case of 

 such a sale, the landlord had, within reason- 



Ic limits, a right of veto. He had also a 

 of pre-emption, and when he desired to exen 

 it he paid his tenant a moderate price for his 

 improvements. 1 



This system unquestionably promoted the 

 economic life of Ulster. It led to a lib( i 

 penditure of labour and capital on the side of 

 the tenant, who was assured by it of the fruit s 

 of his industry; it did not, however, get rid <-f 

 the unreasonable competition for land, which 

 merely expressed itself in terms not of higher 

 rents but of higher prices for the tenant 1114 In. 

 Thus a great part of the capital at the disposal 

 of the tenant could not be applied as worki 

 capital but had to be expended on the acqu 

 tion of the tenant right. Moreover the owner 

 found the Ulster Tenant Right hampering him 

 in the exercise of his proprietorial rights, inas- 

 much as it constituted a divided ownership ; and 

 cases were not uncommon in which progressive! \ - 



1 Richey, "The Irish Land Laws," pp. 104-5. 



