THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3455, 21 January 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1880.

The land question has beeu engagiug the serious attention of English statesmen for years past, and of late more than ever, from the prominence given to Irish matters, and the agitation of the Home Rulers. We published in a late issue Mr Parnell's scheme for the amelioration of tire peasant farmers of Ireland, and Mr Gladstone, who has always expressed sympathy with Irish questions, is reported to be in favor of an alteration in the present land laws of that country. The Daily .News, writing upon Mr 'Gladstone's speeches in Scotland, says: " Mr Gladstone is beginning to define his position. He told the electors of Midlothian that the continued existence of the Scotch Establishment depended upon the degree of agitation that could be got up about it, and at the same time reminded the Irish tenantry that the first fruit of the Olerkenwell explosion was the Irish Church Act and the Irish Land Bill. He dealt with the land system of "the United Kingdom iv much the same spirit. •' There are," he said, speaking at West Calder, "those who think that if you can cut up the land of the country into a multitude of small properties all difficulties will disappear, and everybody will be started in a career of prosperity. To a proposal of that kind I am not going to object tbat it would be inconsistent with the privileges of lauded proprietors. In my opinion, if it is known to be for the welfare of the community at large, the Legislature is perfectly entitled to upset the landed proprietors.

1 do not say that the Legislature has a right to confiscate, but I say that it is entitled to buy out landed proprietors if it please, for the purpose of dividing property into small lots. Ido not wish to recommend it, as there are doubts hanging about the proposition, but to the principe no objection can be taken. Those persons who possess large portions of the space of the earth are not altogether in the same position as persons possessing mere per* sonalfcy, for personalty does not impose the same limitations upon action and industry as the possession of land, and therefore / hold that compulsory expropriation is a thing thai is admissible and sound inpriri' ciple." The words which we have italicised need little commentary. They are certainly the most remarkable which have yet fallen from the lips of any prominent and responsible member of the Liberal party." From such a man as the late Premier of England, the expression of such views means a great deal, and with the ekvation of the Liberals to power Ireland's case may be given more consideration than it has ever bad since the abolition of its own Parliament.