The New York herald., 1879-11-22
THE ARRESTED MEN.

SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF The LAND AG1"
TArIoN AND THE CHIEF AaITAToRs, DAvITT,
DAILY AND KILLEN.
The present land agitation in Ireland is unques-
tionably one Of the most important that has ever
disturbed that country whore agitation Of ono kind
or another is almost the chronic condition ok the
people. Unlike most agitations which have gone
before It, especially those Of purely national char
acter. it raises questions which are awaiting sou-
ton in England, Scotland and other European coun-
tries as we'll "a Ireland and which already enaross
the attention Of strong political parties in all parts
of Europe. Whether the object Of the agitation be
justinable or not, whether those objects or the
means Of attaining them be clearly defined in
the minds Of the Irish popular leaders the re-
mains that 1t has already raised Ireland to the po-
sition Of an important factor In the politics Of
Europe and created far moro serious danger
for the British Empire than any more attempt to
win Irish Independence by instruction. The land
question il already fast looming up in England and
Scotland. and even If union is for the present
likely to be effected between the discon tented farm
ers of the three kingdoms and their supporters in
tho cities the Irish movement must exercise dis
turbing influence in the sister kingdoms for some
time to como. II concessions are granted to Ireland
they will certainly be demanded in England. and 1t
would not be natural II in the Scotch Highlands in
tenure and similar memories of confscation of the
PEASANTS land. an analogous movement should not
spring up. Looked at from any point Of view. in
fact, 1t s one Of the most serious movements that
has ever taken place in Ireland. and whether sue
cessfu In its main object NOT. must be productive
Of results of the Arst political Importance.
WORK ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED.
In Ireland 1t has already accomplished more, both
in the way of ameliorating the condition Of the
tenant farmers and in the acquisition Of important
converts. than any movement of q similar kind
which has gone before 1t. In the Tenant Right
movement headed by Duffy and Lucas In 1902
everything went against the people. and the men,
ories of that disastrous period are all Of wholesale
evictions and Of gross treacherv on the part Of
many popular leaders. In the present agitation on
tho contrary. the people have achieved series Of
partial successes which have encouraged them to per-
severe and many influential landlords have been
converted to their views. It has been recently
estimated by . competent authority that the
agitation has already cost the landlords
fl0O.0 900 in the shape of reductions OF rent
and that by the end Of the spring it will have cost
them at least rs much more. Men who have never
touched the strictly national movement. and who
were never suspected OF liberal opinions. have been
swept into the current and pronounced in favor of
ownership Of the soil by the people. An Orange
lodge In Fermanagh has formally indorsed the popu-
lar programme, and in Antrim and Derry Prot
estants, Presbyterians and Catholics have mingled
in thousands at monster meetings and cheered the
new gospel of free land" At meeting in Leitrim
the Master of the Orange institution reso-
luton tho effect that 1--WE stand here Irishmen
and said no had Seen ionu %atr our
tor that day. These facts of extraordinary sig
niAcance In Ireland, where differences OF religion
alone have enabled England to hold the country.
ARRESTED LEADERS OF THE MOVEMENT.
Michael Davtt is decidedly the most important
and. from landlord and British point OF view. the
most dangerous of the men arrested in connection
with the Irish land agitation. 1t he in fact,
who gave Il its present shape and its rayng cry of
the frat to conceive the idea to gvc public
preston. 1t has been for many years u fixed prin-
national party. aud in 1s&s-9 figured prominently in
the writings OF John Mitchell and James Finton
Ialor; but 1t was Dsvitt who first put 1t into the
mouths of the people and made Il the sub.
ject OF the principal resolution at all tho
Western meetings. The son of Mayo farmer. he
has had bitter personal experience of the effects of
eviction, and having numerous family connections
among the farmers OF that county he In better
position than any other man In the national move
nent to know exactly tho condition OF the tenantry
In that section Starting spontaneously n direct
result of the distress arising from the rains
of last sumner. the movement would IL left to it.
self have simply been repss-..on OF former local
sgrarian agitations. Davitt was invited by some Of
his western friends to attend local meeting last
June. He went down to Mayo, looked into the condi
ton things and Ut set to work to give prac-
tical shape anu reat ponticni Importance 10
movement that he saw must be crushed IL left to
local management. Though classed tho most
extreme aud imprudent Of tho AgitAtors. he has
real been all through the agitation tho strong
restraining influence ON the hot passions of his
citable aud unframed countrymen OF the West. HIS
doctrines are "extreme' enough, but he hss gradu
ally taught the people the absolute necessity OF
stating their clearly and firmly at the bar of
public opinion and OF avoiding acts that would bring
them into direct conflict with the law. He is bold
and eloquent speaker. with voice thatcan be clearly
heard from end to end of an immense open air meet
ing; tall, soldierly figure; rather handsome face
with high, broad forehead, dark hair and mus
tache and dark brown eyes, and having but one arm
he at onoe strikes the observer man Of rsmarkar