The New York herald., 1879-12-14
HIS COUNSEL TO ENGLISH STATESMEN
Engand's Prosperity Threatened by Amer
ican Competition
TIMELY SUGGESTIONS TO TENANT FARMERS

been extensive tour OF the European continent
and spent several weeks in Ireland and England dur
ing which he devoted much attention to the land agi-
ation and the distressed condition OF the people in
the former country. He had long interviews with
Sir Stafford Northcote. Chancellor OF the Exchequer
the Duke of Marlborough, Lord Lieutenant OF Ire
land and Mr. Lowther, the chief secretary. in rela-
tion to the condition Of Ireland; and as the vcner-
able preate wields great influence in the New Do
minion his views were listened with great atten.
tion by these statesmen.
''I was accorded the utmost courtesy by those mem
bers of Her Majesty's government" said the Arch
bishop yesterday to representative of the HERALD.
who called him ascertain his opinions on the
present situation in Ireland. "rhey not only paid
the deopes. attention my opinions" he continued.
''but solicited suggestions to remedial measures.
In fact we talked the in a free business
style. and feel satisfied. from tho earnestness they
exhibited and their anxiety to And some way out Of
the difficulty that my statements made favorable
impression"
"Have you any objection to state what the
suggestions you offered?"
''Well. you must understand that much Of the
conversation of character that regard as
dential. and consequently you would not expect me
to relate the whole OF tho conversations As
prelate. representing large and important section
of Her Majestys domnons that is loyal to and con-
tented with the government of the mother coun-
try, YOU will perceive that much confidence was
reposed in and whatever views expressed were
accepted being given with the sole object of con-
ducing to the welfare and happiness Of the people
throughout the whole Empire. Perhaps should
rather call them propositions than suggestions
which I offered as nodus viuendi for
England and Ireland They might be reduced
to what you would style home rule Tor
Ireland. just have in Canada. My interview
with Mr. Lowther differed from those with the
Chancellor and Lord Lieutenant. in that confined
myself to the relations between Ireland aud Amer
ica; and herein after ALL lies Of the roots Of
the difficulty
AMERICAN COMPETITION TO be DREADED.
"In what respectY'
81 pointed out in the first place that England's
great danger just now lies in American competition.
which will prove disastrous to her within ten years.
if things ROMAN they This statement startled
the Chancellor. He incredulous, and asked me
explain. replied that the markets in England and
Ireland cannot long compete with the American
market in food supplies. in all articles Of iron and
STEEL in cotton and woollen goods in all kinds of
chinery and though last. not least in leather. One
thing appeared certain-and he reflected seriously
the point for some moments after let fall the OBJ
servation-that nation Of farmers. with TO
rent TO pay and with ight taxes. though
ut great distance. can compete success
fully with nation OF farmers burdened
with heavy rent and taxes. There no
opening for controversy the point. for the
English ana Irish markets already reeling from
the effects of the blow II America has competed so
successfully during the past fcw years what will it
| do tho future? Landlords were paid their rent
largely from tho sale OF cattle; cattle have
fallen greatly in price owing to American i'm porta-
tions that tho price OF land has greatly fallen and
must tail more more. !. - purely ana SIMPLY
rate in endeavors to solve the problem. Emigrants
and their children are returning from America to
the mother country in the shape of all the COM
modities OF life, and gradually effecting peace
full revolution III that country. Just think Of it.
pll
England and ireland to foreign countries for food
alone their people. Tho amount paid by England
for American meat and cattle last year was
THE LAND QUESTION AND FAMINE.
"Coud this sum. askeu as one of my propositions.
be essened by cutivating the waste lands and more
cultivation OF the good? 1t is computed that there
about three millions Of OF wild land in Ireland
which could be reclaimed and rendered fruitful and
would largely repay the outlay. Ipresume that q
government that spends millions to redeem slaves
and many millions more to reduce the Africans and
Asiatics to good manners would not suffer million
of their Irish subjects to die Of starvation because
the potato alone was wanting In times of scarcity
of food in France through the Continent CT Eu-
rope expectation Of breadstus is prohibited by the
governments. for saius popuii kr-
the chief of y government is to
preserve the lives OF its people. Ireland
is to-day in very sad condition. We did not the
more than four times in many weeks The
leaden clouds, overcharged with water, lay
close to the earth. aud necessarily inundated II.
You no longer the nice. dcccy clouds of former
days. The last winter WAS so severe that few sing
ing birds have survived. Potatoes total fail
ened by single thunder storm"
RENT AGITATION.
"What is your opinion OF the rent agitationr
THAT seemed to be the all-absorbing topic while
was in Ireland. Meetings were held everywhere to
ask the landlords for reduction of rent. Many
angry expressions and some evil words spoken.
Several landlords iedcd TO the and it
prisca that the landlords did not take the hint
themselves Thev could not expect their tenants
to give them the surplus OF their labor when the
providence of God gave them little or harvest.
Formerly in Ireland as the Continent of Europe
at present, the landlord received one-tourth, one
third one-half of the fruits of his held as the
| agreement between him and his tenants may have
| beeI that he shared the bad as well as the good
| harvest with his tenants. Now. however the land
| lord must be paid in cash, and thus escapes the
chastisemcrt which falls alone the poor
and his family. with all their fretting and toiling
The remedy for this according to many is To transfer
the land to the tenant after paying the landlord a
fair price. But such proposition viii bear the tcst
OF critical examination.
"You do not, then. iniorse it?"
"That Is hardly the way to put 1t. mean to say
that the tenant farmers and those In sympathy with
thom ought to pause before committing themselves
to any such course. There is important point to
HERALD METEOROLOGICAL BUREAU.
"May ask what Is thaty'
''Ccrtany. Tor think it has not entered into the
calculations OF the leaders OF the land agitation
such wet weather viii continue in Ireland?
1t liz q fact that the Gulf Stream once swept
by tho most northern part OF America and made
IL Greenland, but 1t has since deserted country
humidity of the atmosphere OF ireland. situated
from 81 to 80 degrees north latitude are prob
ably owing To tie fuct that the Guif Stream
now laps it. whero formerly the coast was ouly
washed by a wave and thus causes this mnoiso
exhaafion which covers Ireland q pail. and
hides the with those heavy clouds Tor
weeks together. and pours down constant rain.
Now this, let me say, is only theory, bat would
form interesting problem tor the Meteorological
Bureau of the HERALD, which has puzzled and
azcd the British press by the accuracy OF its pre-
dictons.
raE HERALD AND THE ENGLISH FARMERS
"And here 1 may mention mark that am sod mo
greatly, repeated in several parts of England that
lon
stormy and severe weather comes from
Providence. but when. they term 1t,
1t COMES from the NEW York HERALD, they
get very mad. but, TO continue, A say in all
seriousness that the solution this problem by the
HERALD Bureau or other scientific agency would
conduce to untold benefits to entire nation now
severely suffering. The data in the suif-
ciently numerous. Formerly the winters very
distinct from summers. but by degrees Except last
winterl they are not distinct. There arc mild