Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-07-11
.'IRELAND FOR THE IRISH"
The Agitation of the Land Question
Becoming "Red Hot" ON the Old
Sod...Inilammatery Resolutions.


being gradually but surely developed,
and such formula invariably means
that there is something to be solved.
1t is the dread of the form the solution
may take that causes the grief and
head-shaking of the aristocrahc and
other landed proprietors. They have
the most dismal forebodings OF what
the inevitable result must be, and would
fain patch up some halfway remedy.
The form such remedy would take
NAV be guessed from an expression Mr.
Chaplin (brother-in,law of the duke of
Sutherland) let drop in speech made
at the central chamber OF agriculture
Yesterday, with reference to his propo-
sal in the house of commons for royal
commission to inquire into the causes
of agricultural depression. mo greater
misfortune" he said, "could befaIl agri.
culturtsts than that food should become
so cheap that it would no longer pay to
produce it in this country" The
course the landowners would take to
prevent food becoming 50 cheap would
be to tax imported food, for they have
sense enough to know that the only
other alternative To make profitable
agriculture possible is to reduce rents
or to make cultivators owners. The
latter alternative, however, is too serisl
Gus to be thought of. 1t would meata
narrowed incomes, and of course, cur
tailed expenditure. In the case OF
smaller landed proprietors, who per
haps expend thousand year on liv-
ing, such reduction of rents as would
put cultivation on a par with present
profits would neceSsitate the curtall.
ment of living expenses probably TO
about six hundred year. That
sober journal. The Spectator, be-
wailing such possibility the other
day, said that state of things which
should bring about such a result would
have the effect OF wiping out of exist
ence one of the most worthy and char
acteristic classes in the country, or
words to that effect. So, just to per-
petuate class able, the Spectator thinks,
with money and leisure, to cultivate the
arts and graces of life, the Broad
church organ would willingly see IN
other class, more useful, though with
perhaps fewer of the so-called "graces,"
submit to untold sacrifices, would, in
deed, make themselves the others
slaves.
1t is pretty evident. however, from
developments on every side, that mere
sentiment will not be allowed to have
much to do with the practical settle
ment Of this question. Indeed, SO
urgent is the matter becoming that
sensible landlords in all parts of Eng
land and Scotland have seen fit to
make large reductions III rents, though
whether sufficiently large, in all cases,
is much open to doubt. The Prince of
Wales has deducted 10 and even 20
per cent. from the rents OF occupiers
under him. But the most noteworthy
reductions have been made in Scot
land, where many farms have been let
at prices nearly 80 per cent below what
they formerly let at. Lord Breadal-
bane has set good example by reduc
ing the rents of large number of
farms on his estate by 20 per cent The
usual form, however, is to return 10 per
cent. of the rent on credit day; the
landlords think that is the safer plan,
and it comes, besides, like n
benevolence. But these gentry have
y6y W lShIl IllhI DShCNolCll1S
will not revive a depressed agri-
culture. A good deal Of this tink-
ering philanthrophy has been hitherto
applied to Ireland and Irish ills, and
there are those who would yet salve
over her sores with paayer and royal
philanderings, but they have only had
the effect of making bad worse, and
hence it is that to-day the sisterisle is
taking the lead for the agitation for a
settlement of the land question. Two
or three facts will readily show how the
current is going.
The strongest resolutions anywhere
vet passed, says the Dublin correspond
emit of the Pal Mall Gazette, in reference
to the present condition Of the Irish
farmers have been put on record by the
Roman Catholic priests Of the deanery
of Tralee, who ask for reduction OF
rents on the ground Of a failure OF the
last oat and potato crops the poor pros
poets of this year and the decline of
prices for agricultural produce in con-
sequence of American competition.
They say: The English markets are as
near or nearer to French, Belgian or
Dutch producers than to us while steam
navigation has brought the vast conti-
nent Of America, with its free lands and
light taxation. within eight days sail of
cur shores. How will it be possible for
our tenant farmers, overburdened with
excessive rents, heavy taxation and
high farm wages, to compete success
fully with their higher-fayored foreign
competitors?' Some Of the Irish tenant
farmers, indeed, have not waited for
priestly assistance or interference, but
have begun to take the question in their
own hands. Thus the agent Of the
Trinity college estates, situated between
Carrick-on-Suir and Curragmore, went
the other day to collect the half years
rent. In every case tine tenant only
urotfered half the amount, declaring
their inability to pay more. The agent
refused to take less than the full money
and eventually left the district without
collecting penny.
pnvinty Ponupt in Paris.