The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-10
IRELAND'S DICTATOR
Interview with Parnell, the
Tribune Of the People.
FREEING THE SOIL.
How the Country Can Be Saved from
Emigration and Starvation.
LANDLORDS AND LANDJOBBERS

DUBLIN, Dot. %. 1870.
Having met the leader of the Irish land agita-
ton at of the monster demonstrations. Mr.
Parne Expressed to correspondent OF the NEW YORK
HKlALD his qualification at the interest which 1.-THE
greatest paper published in the English language
he called it, manifested in the condition of the
Irish people ut homo and their social and political
future. On intimation from the HEnALDs corro-
spondent of desire to learn from the lips or the
member for Meath the motive position and pros
poets of the antirent agitation. it is termed by
the English journals. Mr. Parnell at once invited
your representative to visit him at Avondale to
meet him the following week in Dublin for the pur-
pose Of expounding the benefit OF the Of
the HERALD his views on the proposed land revou
ton in ireland. In accordance with this arrange
ment the representative of the HERALD met Mr..
Parnell at Avondale. county Wicklow. Mr.. Parnell
is o tall thin young man, of tair complexion and
fair beard, pale, firm face and mouth
speaking volumes of determination. 1t is the
fashion to say that he looks like an English
gentleman. He looks rather like what he is-a union
OF the American and the Hibernian man OF the
world. He expressed himself glad meet the repre-
sentative Of the HERALD again. and after few
plimentary preliminaries he entered the subject
Of the HERALD representatives visit.
Mr.. PARNELL-I understand that the HERALD takes
dare say III New York men as ill-informed as to
our objects they to be in London.
HERALD REPREsENTArIvE-That may be, sir, but
the HERALD takes strong interest in every great
question affecting any portion of the human
1t only wants correct information on this great
question of yours in ireland. What do you aim at?
Mr.. PAnNELL-Just aim at keeping the
people from starvation and emigration. at keeping
them at home at all hazards. Ultimately we aim at
.I.,1
the land as its owners, not as tenants.
HERALD REpREsENrAT1vE-Tha is to say, you mean
to abolish landlordism outright. speedily posi-
bic. But you know the British govern ment will not
permit the landlords to be evicted. The landlords
are its friends.
Mr.. PARSELL- That may be reason for their
removal but it is not the reason ut the bottom Of
this agitation. They incubus on agricultural
development in Ireland. aud form an unnatural in
stitution. interfering with the natural progress Of
the country.
HERALD REPRTsKNrAT1vE-They have landlords in
England. and the same charges would apply against
them; but the English people do not make it.
Mr.. PAnNELL-That docs not alter right to
mako our own question. even If the "reminiscences
under which landlordism exists were not different
here.
ENGLISH IRISH TENURE.
HERALD REPREsyNrArTvx-How do tho circum-
stances.difer?
Mr.. PARNELL-The majority of the people In Ire
land 1--we by the land In England they do not. aud
therefore do not feel the pressure Of landordsm SO
keenly. though they beginning it now. In
England the landlord holds quite different relation
toward his tenants. He makes all improvements at
his own cost and thereby has direct interest in the
profits. In Ireland the landlord is merely o rent
receiver. who does nothing to earn anything from
the land but takesthe result Of the tenants capital
in the shape Of rent. When he buys he buys tho
right to the occupiers earning for without the
cupier the land could nothing. The Irish
occupier builds and makes his improvements;
he makes . business for the landlord, without any
aid from tho landlord. number of tenants spend
their capital and the labor OF their lives. and wlc
they continue merely to make out decent existence
iii pfosperous times they between them supply the
landlord with large income, which enables him to
live luxuriously without any labor of any kind.
When they leave the land they leave the landlord all
the results Of their capital and their labor. for
which he has done nothing but accept and spend
tho rents they have paid him. They stand in Alto
gether different position from tho English farmer.
who takes going concern. with all the fixtures
necessary for the business, from tho landlord-the
land ready prepared. in fact to yield It's products
ut fixed remuneration. The cases are altogether
different.
HERALD REPREsENTATIvE-Then you look upon
the Irish landlord unnecessary institution?
Mr.. PARSELL--Not only unnecessary. but injurious.
He is the creature of bad system. and that system
must be got rid Of for the sake OF the people The
landlord will go with the system and be all the
better for the change. He will be useful mcmber
OF society and DO able to add something to the wealth
and happiness of tho country. Landlordism does
neither and cannot do either.
HEnALD REPIEsESrArrvR-Then 1 may tako It that
fha nil ifunfa aud -
Mr.. Parnc are accepted the leader in Ireland, is
to get rid of the system Of Irish landlordism2
Mr.. PARNELL-You may.
HERALD REPREsEsTAuvE-You are denounced in
the English journals another count--for advising
the people to pay no rents.
Mr.. PAnNELI~-I never advised the people to pay
no rents. What did and do advise them to do is
not to pay the landlord in bad times than they
really afford. The past three have been
bad: the profits of the good years have been par
TALLY eaten up by the landlord. while tho tenant
has been enabled to live somew hat better than TO-
fore; and say the tenants. Ask your landlord to
reduce his share of the rcsul. of tho years farming
a. you have been compelled to reduce yours. II he
says no. then advise the tenant to offer arbitration
Is TO the amount that ought to be paid under the
circumstances. II the landlord refuses that SIMPLY
advise the tenant to keep whatever money he may
have In his pocket and to stick to the land at the
same time lilo has great right to live aud to TO.
tain his means of living the landlord has to has
rents.
THE LANDLORDS RIGHTS.
HERALD RErREsEsrATIvE-But according to no.
lions over this OF tho world the landlord has
claim to the possession Of the land when the tenant
cannot pay.
Mr.. PARsELI~-Lcgally that is SO; but that Is tho
sort OF law complain Of. 1t makes the landlord
tins authority to grant the tenant license to get
living and to claim from tho tenant az the price OF
the license to live yearly rent. II wc admitted the
legal theory it would that wo admitted the right
OF the Irish landlords TO ovict from the land the
greater portion of the farming population when-
ever hard times nterfared with their ability to pay
rent. That would be monstrous. and that s the nrst
Idea we resist In this agitation Tho idea Is immoral
aud tyraunical. No country could prosper in which