44 A LIFE'S WORK' IN IRELAND. 



support liiiii and liis laniily in comfort, and so he 

 thought it best to go. 



If it is thought ]\rr. Bright's plan of small 

 proprietors woidtl answer, it can be tried with no 

 risk or loss. Very simple machinery — tlie same, 

 indeed, that now makes loans for draining, etc. — 

 would make loans to two -thirds of the value to 

 occupiers buying the fee of their farms in the Estates 

 Court. Both interest and principal would be secure, 

 so that the cost would be nothing to the country, and 

 the plan could be extended if it succeeded. 



I do not believe it would go far, glad as I 

 should be if it did so. There has for many years 

 been a company at ]\Ianchester, called " The Irish 

 Land Company," for tliis very purpose — buying land 

 in the Estates Court and selHng it again to the tenants. 

 It has bought a great deal of land, but has sold very 

 little, if any, and very naturally complains much of 

 the apathy of the occupiers. 



■ It is said by some that " political economy " will 

 not do for Ireland. I believe, on the contrary, the 

 direct opposite is the truth. The one thing to be 

 avoided is doing anything that cannot be justified by 

 sound principle. Ignorance and neglect and general 

 backwardness are the main causes of the troubles of 

 both landlords and tenants. So far as my knowledge 

 goes, whenever an estate is managed on strict business 

 principles, as an enlightened man alive to Ms own 

 interest, and looking closely to it, but acting fairly 



