WHAT WILL DO GOOD IN IRELAND. 225 



better state of things can grow up. Whenever an 

 estate has been well managed, the tenants made to 

 know that whatever any one promises will be held 

 binding on him — the rents undertaken will be re- 

 quired, and no humbug listened to, but honest, straight- 

 forward dealmg be the rule — bad tenants be removed 

 and their land given to good tenants, the condition 

 and wealth of the people steadily improves. Good 

 tenants invariably make money. When they can do 

 this, what is there to fight about ? When the proper 

 time comes for a rise in the rent, and such rise is 

 made, they would be more than human, and much 

 less than Irishmen, if they did not kick a little. 

 But when the dealing is reasonable and resolute, 

 this does small harm. A wise notion has been 

 started that Irish tenants are so poor they cannot 

 contract freely. Heaven forgive the man who acts 

 on that view in Ireland ! That a man is not bound 

 by his contract, is the dodge of every rogue we have. 

 This is the constant struggle over workhouse and 

 all other public contracts, tliat when the contractor 

 loses by his contract, he should be let off or paid 

 more. Once it is known that contracts cannot be 

 got rid of, the attempts to get rid of them cease 

 miraculously. 



The outlay on improvements, both by landlords and 

 tenants, lately has much increased. An honest census 

 of what landlords have done for the last thirty years 

 will show a total tliat is not anticipated ; such outlay 



Q 



