ABSTRACT
In William Ewart Gladstone’s mind Land Purchase was an unsafe and impracticable policy unless it was accompanied or preceded by the creation of Irish authorities strong enough and responsible enough to take the risk off British shoulders. He was very conscious of the grave political dangers that would follow if the British Government were confronted with a general repudiation of liabilities on the part of the Irish farmers. The fall in prices, the reductions of rents and the general uncertainty had produced a slump in land and Trevelyan said that the “ block ” was almost as great as it had been before the passing of the Encumbered Estates Acts. The Bill was criticized by the Parnellites on the ground that 20 years’ purchase was too high a price in a falling market and that the local board would consist mainly of landlords who could wreck the scheme.
