The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-12-03
The Irish Land Question.

Gladstone said in his Edinburgh speech
last Wednesday that the present land agita.
ton in Ireland was liable to produce a civil
war. The great English statesman usually
carefully weighs his words. Certain it is
that English rulers view with grave concern
the agitation which today shakes ireland
from center to circumference. After seven
centuries of bondage Ireland still asserts
her independence. The infamous penal
code which Montesquieu said should be
written in blood and recorded in hell, has
passed away leaving crimson stain. The
famine of '4S with its narrowing details is a
thing of the past. The bitter prosecutions
of Ireland's sons have passed into history
But still she proclaims the story of heI
wrongs. To-day the agitation of the Irish
land question commands the attention OF
the civilized world From one end of Ire
land to the other monster meetings are be-
ing held reminding one of the great meet
ings addressed by O'Connell during the Re
peal agitation.
That the English government is alarmed
at the threatening aspect of affairs is evident
from the recent arrest of the agitators, Da-
witt, DAILY and Killen and the marshalling
of troops on Irish soil. The present agitation
was no doubt mainly precipitated by the
recent failures of crops. The Irish tenantry
finding themselves with starvation and eject
ment staring them in the face rose and de-
termined to bring stubborn and alien ruler
to sense of duty. Prominent Home Rulers
such as Parnell and Mitchell Henry took up
the land agitation, and advised the tenants
to remain upon their farms until they pro-
cure reduction of rent thus forcing di-
rect issue with the foreign landholders.
Here in America we can form but slight
conception of the tenure of land in England
and Ireland, with its system of entails. The
greater part of the land in England, Scot
land and Ireland is held by only sixty per-
sons. In Ireland, it is said, twelve large
land d-holders own +'----soior portion of the
island.
But there is this difference between the
land tenure in England and Ireland. In the
former the land-holders remain upon their
estates. and take an active interest in agrl-
culture and the condition of the tenantry.
In Ireland the exact opposite is the case.
The majority of the landowners reside in
England, their chief interest being to gu
the most money from the soil to s'eiio
abroad. Their work is done by Aseh'S'
whose object is twofold-to getthes iiasteis
money and indemnify themselves. lhus
results the curse of absenteelsn' Win dill
of it's attendant evils. Undsr this SYSTEM
the condition of the Irish @enaht mas oeeh
but little better than tat OF the Russian
sorf Absenteeism BIS hung over Ireland
lilo bnoe incub.s, draining her OF her
,ouu ,;fo hlood a,d forbidding all material
progress. 49,,
With ssange infatua'ion, and a total
disreoareof the true interests of the Empire,
p,.;sl statesmen utterly refnse to propose
seGtion for this difficulty. Mr.. Gladstone
Id Mr.. Bright attempted to remedy this
miserable condition of things, but their eff
forts were unavailing.
The Irish people have at length taken the
matter in their own hands. The great first
principle which they hold in the present agg-
itation is ''That the land of ireland was Gre
ated and intended by a just and all-provid-
ing God for the sustenance of His people,
and not for the sensual qualification of few
worthless and non-working aristocrats." !"
This sounds like the Declaration of Inde-
pendence and, like that, is in the abstract
true. Blu, reforms should be gradual and
conserva i've, not radical or revolutionary.
With iudicious leaders and peaceful agita-
ton Ireland will accomplish all that is
needed. In these days when. every man
reads and thinks for himself, and when an
intelligent public opinion sits in judgment
upon public men and public measures, agi-
tation is an!alI-powerful weapon. As Phillips
we'll expresses it, "Agitation puts the school
by the side of the balot-box." The agitation of
Irelands wrongs'has brought England before
the bar of the civilized world. She dares
not refuse a reasonable request. Already
Beaconsfield heeds the muttering of the COM
ing storm The commissioners that he has
sent over to Ireland report the condition of
the tenantry as truly alarming, and recon-
mend as a relief, to keep the peasants from
starving, that productive works be COM
menced and the people be furnished en-
ployment to keep them from hunger. This
contemplates vast system of internal i'm
provements which Ireland is sadly in need
of: such as reclamation of waste lands, con-
struction of roads, building bridges, and ex-
tension of railways. 1t is, however, evident
that there can be no true peace, no real sub
stantial progress for Ireland until she has
the blessing of Home Rule. This is what
Grattan and OConnell, the greatest of Irish
statesmen, advocated. The Home Rule par
ty now demand it, and regard the present
land agitation simply as means to that end.
From Mr.. Gladstone's remarks in his Edin-
burgh speech,it appears that ne too, although
reluctantly, is forced to the same conclu-
sion.
O'Connor Power, prominent Home Rul-
er, asserted as his belief, ''that onr of the
| earliest effects of Home Rule would be the
development of the manufacturing industry
| which would draw off large numbers from
| the land, and so abate the prevalent desire
i for its possession" Home Rule holds in
it's hands the solution of the land prob
len. The sober thought, the conservatism
OfIreland, while desiring the abolition Of
Iria landlordism, shrink from the method
OF tie French Revolution. They simply de-
man ''such facilities as would enable them
to ac9ire ownership by means of their own
indust." At present Ireland is thorn in
the sidtof England. She dares not enter
9 into w, fearing lest Ireland would stat
her in thbacS. Give ireland Home Rule
and she WI become TRANQUIL and contented