New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-26
FEEDING THE IRISH.

FEEDING HE IRISH.
The Mayor of Dublin, as our readers will
have noted, has authorized an appeal to be
made TO the people of Australia for the relief
of the destitute Irish. There seems to be little
doubt that there Is already much suffering IN
Munster and Connaught, resulting as much
from the deficiency of peat as OF food. From
the town of Ballina comes terrible outcry
of hunger and cold but the local authorities
there and elsewhere assert that the peasantry
absolutely refuse to accept help from the
Union warehouses, aud sit down idly waiting
to be fed by outsiders 1t is really difficult to get
at the truth in this matter. That the harvests
have failed and the people are in need Is GER
tain, and also that the English press and the
local authorizes are so embttered against
the malcontent Irish that they are apt
TO treat their complaints as lightly as
possible, alleging that Rory is not only NAL
content but lazy-that he is given to inces-
SAINT complaining. and would rather sit down
and be fed by bis Australian and American
friends than take work and ratiOns at the
Union. Mr.. Parnell is on his way to stir up
sympathy for the people here. Mr.. Doran, OF
Cork. at a public meeting on the eve of Mr..
Panell's sailing. declared his opposition to
this perpetual begging from America. Mr..
Parnelrs friends disclaimed any such inten-
ton. But we fail TO see the Use OF stirring
cup sympathy unless hard cash is also
stirred M, and we doubt if Mr.. PaTnell, who
is an exceptionally shrewd, practical man,
would take so long journey in pursuit of so
airv an element in Irish affairs as a popular
sympathy three thousand miles distant.
As for the money which our people are now
contributing, and will contribute literally If
need be- TO feed the Irish mot to buy them
ammunition), heaven forbid that we should
say word to hinder their charity. But it
certainly would be given much more promptly
and freely if wealthy Englishmen and lrishmrn
set the example. The Ducbt IS of Marlborough
on last Monday made public appeal to the
Lord Mayor of London, and through him TO
all well-to-do English citizens, to aid the
starving poor in the sister island. This is the
first appeal of the kind, we believe, and it is
high time that it was made and answered.
The Irishman may be lazy and fond of grum-
bling, but the unpleasant fact remains that he
is hungry and cold. and be is so because the
wealthy landlords have for years Overcharged
him and swallowed up the poor profits of his
miserable little holding in luxurious life
abroad either in Paris or London. Help for
the poor Irish should come first from the rich
absentee Irish.
Thele is an enormously wealthy class in Eng
land, too, who so far have not moved in this
matter. Until they do, appeals to this country
or to Australia from them are, TO say the
least, not in good taste. Americans are ready
when the moment of need comes To do their
part heartily and freely in feeding their
hungry brother, whether he be in Ireland or
in China But they would find it wiser to pay
the cost of emigration of the needy Irish to
this country than to feed them in their costly
barren land, TO starve again whenever the
harvest happens to be failure. 1t is truer
charity to set a man Oh his feet and let him
work for his bread than to leave him helpless
on his back pauper for lite.