Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-10-04

give in our last page this morning lie
saws that for the last ten years he has
been predicting the crisis upon us-'ior
ten years | have been pointing out the
coming ruin of British and Irish trade
The barbarous re atoms of the people to
the soil in these islands made this GER
talnty." During the last tour years the
export trade of the united kingdom has
decreased by f7O,OOO,OOO, land suffer-
ing and misery in every city is the con-
sequence" Agriculture IS not attended
to. An idea was propagated that I'VE
are independent of our harvest, and can
buy food cheaper in foreign countries,
We'll, last year we bought food to the
value of f135, 100000 from abroad; :;
twenty live years ago we bought one
sixth OF this quantity" But where, al
ter little, will the money come from to
purchase this. food? The Industries are
paralyzed, the country becoming depop,-
ulated. the soil comparatively untitled
| The product of our soil, says Mr.. Fer
guson, ''might easily be three times as
much per acre as it is. MIR. Mechl es-
Inmates il might easily be five times as
much. The late Lord Derby said it
might be twice as much" We have al
ways heard it calculated that the soil OF
Ireland was capable of supporting II
comfort twenty millions of people. Inc
whole problem of social existence ha:
assumed new aspect. Trade is ian
gushing in the towns; agricultural pro
ducts are failure IN the country. Mon
ey is consequently scarce, and hardship
are imminent. 1.-The coming winter !
likely to be terrible time OF suffering,
continues Mr. Ferguson; "reduce th'
) rents is the shout of the starving people
This has startled the governing classes
and the hackneyed epithet communism
is hurled at the distressed people" Ih
crisis can be discussed without callin:
names. Insulting eplthets are out G
place, like Mr. James Lowther's auds
cious description of Tenant Right. g.
} serious question has to be met. Goo
! temper is needed" writes Mr.. Fergt
3 son. We agree with him. 1t is one
D the most serious questions OF the cent?
} ry, and needs examination with CORES
8 ponding gravity and sense of the It
1 sponsibllities involved in its proper Sc
n tlement. Such spirit OF seriousness
t seems to have impregnated the large an
orderly meeting OF tenant-farmers ;
Draperstown on Friday. One of til
: speakers touched vibrating chord whe
he said the agitation was not for eco
tiscation. but the preservation of an no
est and struggling people" This ver
:, table though grim necessity-the pre-
Il ervation OF the people-does not appe;
> to have yet been taken duly to heart
y government or the governing classe
;. :. And yet there is undeniable starvati'
u u IN the country. and thousands, not y
le reduced to the last bitter extreme, a
=; :; tasting of the gall OF famine. Happil
~ as we said IN a recent issue, Ulster
u largely free from the wretchedness d
u. coverable in some other districts OF t
- kingdom. but the Draperstown meetil
~ proves that the depression Is approac
~ ~ ing. It's suggestive that this meeti'
u was held on the property OF one OF t
= :, rich London companies. the nature a
management of whose trusts are like
~ y again to be criticised with renewed {
u ergy in presence OF the widespread s.
", v, terings. Truly, the crisis is grave oil
W and involves considerations and rcspt
~ sibilitles second in Importance to no
g in the empire.