WHAT MIGHT BE AND WHAT IS 275 



By the simple adoption of Mr. Jesse Collings's Bill, 

 or of some modification of that Bill, freeholders might 

 be created in considerable and increasing numbers. 

 Or if this method were found to be impossible, 

 land-workers of certain classes could be furnished 

 with perpetual tenancies held under the State. Or 

 British farmers might be endowed with some of 

 the opportunities of State-aided purchase and of 

 the other great advantages which our Governments 

 hasten to shower on the people of Ireland. 



Or properties of over a certain size might, with 

 sundry limitations, by law be made divisible among 

 heirs, as is the custom in many other countries. 

 Obviously this expedient must circulate the land in 

 a more effective and natural fashion than would any 

 other method. 



But one political party objects to the multiplication 

 of freeholders for its own reasons, whatever these may 

 be, while another political party objects with even 

 greater vigour to the creation of State leaseholders 

 upon a large scale. This, it says perhaps with 

 truth would savour of land nationalisation. Lastly, 

 all parties would probably demur to any change in our 

 law and customs of inheritance. Also their spokes- 

 men point out as a reason for refusing to Great Britain 

 what is freely granted to Ireland, that "the circum- 

 stances of the two countries differ." And so they do, 

 to the extent indeed of 75 or more of solid Parlia- 

 mentary votes. Whichever way we look the road is 

 barred. The occasional buying of farms by tenants 

 from their landlords in order to save themselves from 

 disturbance, involving as it does in most cases the 

 borrowing of money at 4J per cent., in my view will 

 never alter the situation to any marked extent. 



