LONDON "TRUTH" ON IRISH LANDLORDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1520, 1 April 1882, Page 4

LONDON " TRUTH" ON IRISH LANDLORDS.

«*tti&<4andlords of Ireland— or, as they term themselves, the "ancient aristocracy.*' of Ireland — have emerged from the "ea^h," in which they had boeh hiding -..like, ••moles." On their appearance 1 anbVe the soil, they expressed their opinion that the " Land Act was an infamous piece of oppression, injustice and robbery,! 1 and that they ought to " .«tep forward and resist this conspiracy to the death." Having thus stated the reason of their meeting together, and having dejplored that Dukes and Earls were " on 'such pinnacles thai they did not see their way to help their poor brethren," they proceeded to explain what they wanted : " They had a rightto say to .the Governmentthat they would not give up the inheritance of their fathers — at any rate, without compensation." This inheritance is the right to charge such a sum for tin*, privilege of cultivating the soil of Ireland, that it renders those who are obliged to cultivate it unable to " live and thrive." Naturally, these lawabiding citizens reviled the constituted law courts. The Judges who have decided against them are, they insist, ignorant and prejudiced persona, actuated by a love of popularity and by pai ty animus. Now, what is the difference between the Irish landlords and the Irish tenants ? This alone. The tenants said that the law was unjust, the landlords say that the judges who administer the law are unjust ; therefore, whereas the latter agitated against the law, the former are prepared to agitate against the administrators of the law. All the nonsense about •' compensation *' is the mere impotence of class drivel. Let the Irish landlords be thankful that they arc not called upon to return the unjust renta which, according to the opinions of independent judges, they have for years o.\turtcd from their tenants, but do nob let them fancy that the English taxpayer has the remotest intention of putting his hand into his pocket, in order to compensate them for not being allowed to practice extortion any longer. There can be no vested rights in injustice.