March 29 1924
The Ulster Farmers’ Union are progressing. They have now mustered up enough courage to decide “to make urgent representations to the members of the Northern Government, and also to the members for Northern Ireland in the Imperial Parliament, demanding a measure of Compulsory Purchase for Northern Ireland on equitable terms”.
More than a quarter of a century has passed since the late Mr TW Russell tried to convince members of the Northern Farmers’ Union and their fathers and grandfathers that an agitation for Compulsory Purchase would be “good business”.
The Northern farmers – or a majority of them – paid no attention to Mr Russell; they left the battle for Land Purchase to the Nationalist Party and the Southern farmers, and they returned to the British Parliament then – just as they have returned to the same parliament within the last year or two.
Editorial on belated action of the Ulster Farmers’ Union to seek a Compulsory Purchase scheme, which came to fruition through the 1925 Northern Ireland Land Act, two years after a similar law, the 1923 Land Act, was introduced into the Irish Free State.
Free State Crisis
The Free State Government have had a bad week. Two members of the Executive Council have resigned, and one of them intends to lead a new “party” composed of secessionists from the TDs elected on the Government’s “ticket”.
Henceforward the Dáil Éireann will have five groups – Cumann na nGaedheal (Government), Labour, Farmers, Independents No 1 and Independents No 2: these sections do not include the Republicans, who take no part in the business of the Dáil.
It is an awkward situation; the week’s revelations about personal jealousies, quarrels over money, and chaos in Army control have weakened the Government and provided the country with ample materials for regretful – but, let it be hoped, wholesome – reflection.
If confusion, distrust, and disorganisation are not as prevalent throughout the Free State as in Dublin, the people themselves could, and would, insist on rectifying the situation by dispensing with the services of most of those responsible for present-day conditions.