The New York herald., 1879-10-22
How Peace and Prosperity May BeWOOed
Back to the Emerald Isle.
A TORY LANDLORDS PANACEA.
The Earl of Desart on Tenant Right
Fenianism and Home Rule
PARNELL'S APPEAL FOR AID.

land on Sunday last and is staying at the West
minister Hotel where HERALD reporter had an
interview with him yesterday Irish and English
topics of moment Lord Desart. whose estates are
In Ireland. is tory in politics, as his father was
before him. and naturally takes a view of Irish
affairs entirely opposed to those of the adherens of
the home rule policy. He is. however. one of those
peers of the English realm who have fought their
way by ability and hard work to eminent places in
literature and in journalism. Those familiar with
literature in England know that no man has so hard
road to travel in stepping beyond respectable me-
docrity he whose title forces him into the band
of /" Distinguished Amateurs" This shelf of anna
teurdom Lord Desart has forced himself beyond.
and he occupies to-day. by dint of talent and by
the force of hard work. 4 leading place among
professional writer's OF fiction and in journalism
Lord Desart William Ulick O'Connor Cuhe) is the
eldest of tho third Earl and was born in 1s45.
He was educated at Eton and Bonn University.
After short experience as page Of honor to the
Queen he received at the age OF sixteen commission
in the Grenader Guards. and in 1868 left England
with his regiment for Canada, where he remained
two years. During this time he visited the head
quarters of the Army of the Potomac. where he was
tho guest Of General Meade. His first novel. "Only
womans Love. was published in 1865; his second.
beyond These Voices, appeared in 1870; tho
next children of Nature" in 1877; "Kelverdale in
he has "AIervyn OConnor'' running in serial form
through Vanity Fair Indeed, all his novels went
through the test of serial publication before appear
ing in book form. Besides the works named above
Lord Desart has issued several pamphlets and for
some years past has been an indeatgabe journalist
contributing leading articles criticisms and reviews
to the principal London journals. Witha, he is
genial gentleman an ardent fox hunter. a man who
knows the value of work and is willing to do his
share in the field he has chosen for honorable dis
tnction.
IRISH LANDLORD.
Lord Desart found by reporter at the Wost-
minister about yesterday. 1t needed very little
ceremony to open the interview which the reporter
sought. There was little except the land question
agtating both England and Ireland to be discussed.
and indeed the chief interest attaching to the
versation centred in the fact that Lord Desart is
landlord himself and does not swerve from the
views OF his class. In the world of letters. how
ever. Lord Desart said that the most recent
tons in England have been Miss Braddons new
novel and Farrar's .Life of Christ"
"What do you think. Lord Desart. of Mr.. Parnels
method of solving the Irish tenant question: asked
the reporter.
..wen my views do not coincide with those of the
popular party. belong to the class who think the
landlords ought not to be pushed to tho wall alto
gether, was the reply
Does Mr.. Parnel intend to leave the landlords
"Mr Parnell's doctrine is, believe that 4 system
ought to be established by which the tenant could
buy out his farm. and then repay the borrowed
money from the profits of his labor. In other
words, pay rent to the government"
But in that case. some time or other, the tenant
would have no rent to payy
'As affairs stand do you think the farmers
ought to be contentedY
''It is much better for the farmers now not to
have thirty years lease. Under Mr.. Gladstone's
bill they better OFF by being yearly tenants
Were they leaseholders they could be elected with
out compens sation. Under Mr.. Gadstone's bill tho
\ protected
receive adequate compensation, according to the
judgment of the courts for what is called disturb
nnce. and as long hc pays his rent he cannot be
disturbed at all. Other clauses protect him in
claims which hitherto had never been allowed.
With good harvest the tenant ought to be pros
porous"
mr. Parnell claims that this year rent at oil
.Yes 1 believe they talk about the leadcn
bullet"
"But is not this owing to the bad harvest of the
ycar?'
should doubtless be ascribed to that cause else 1t
would be manifest injustice"
s.In agland is not the cry of distress among the
farmers as loud and as widespread as in lreandY"
There is undoubtedly great discomfort among tho
English tenant farmers this year. Strangely enough
the English farmers say they arc unable to meet
their rents ana consequently they wish to get away
The Irish farmers say they unable to meet their
rents but they want to stay.
ITO what cause do you ascribe the distress among
the English farmers p
..Weii, shall give you high authority in answer
TO that question. The Earl Beaconseld IL positive
that the tenant distress in England has been caused
entirely by the recent bad harvests. Mr.. Burrill. NJ
r.. in an address delivered early this present
month before agricultural society composed,
OF farmers and there being present his
audience the families OF these farmers. told them
tina. the distress from which they were suffering
was credited to the extravaganza OF the fami-
lies of the farmers themselves. to too much plan
aud nnery and that sort of thing"
"lhe gentleman deserved credit for blunt speak
Ing anyway.
between Mr.. Burrills view of the and that
OF Lord Beaconsheld there is connecting line not
Impossible to trace"
.'As a landlord yourself. Lord Desart you must
be familiar with tho Irish rentals generally. Are
the rents TOO highY
IL shall best answer that question when say
that. u rule. the rents based the vaua-
tion made after 1sl7. whom land selling at five
wears purchase or course ut this time land Is
more valuable than 1T was then. 1t can be sold now
sixteen even eighteen years purchase-rarcly
at twenty years. Rents have in many instances, no
doubt been put up to the highest Egure; but this is
not the general tenant condition throughout the
country.
ABOLITION OF SMALL HOLDINGS.
"1t is understood that Ireland to-day IL a grazing
country and that tillago has ceased to be practiscd
by the larger holders. Is not tEis cause OF discon-
tent among the peopleY'
'.That IL a broad question. 1 have doubt that
the holders OF small farms iet agg'ieved ut losing
their little homesteads. But L believe that these
small holdings scattered over tho land have been
the curse of Ireland. No family could subsist com
tortably upon farm ot ten acres Tor which they
paid rent, and yet these small holders although
they not able to make enough out-of their land
to support themselves, were unwilling to work on
pther and larger farms to add to their incomes.
The country wanted good system of labor.
These small holdings prevented the establish
mcnt of such system. Where several of
these small farms united into one there an
opportunity afforded Tor developing the land and
utilizing il to the best advantage. Labor neces-
sarily employed and well paid. and ins cad OF tow
helpless families striving to exc out miserable
Istencc there was room enough for the support of
many"
GAS compared with England how is labor paid in
LrelandY'
s.Considering the cost of living tho Irish laborer
is not behindhand. The English laborcr receives
moro wages, but he has to pay higher Tor his
living"
FRESH TuREATES1NGs.
''Hecent news from Ireland credits the country
with something like fresh agrarian outragesT'
eyes; / see that in the West there have been some
threatening letters sent, and rumors were rife that
dark deeds impending. But hardly think II
fair to class such exceptional Manifestations ~
these as agrarian ourages to conclude that they
indicate the spirit predoihnating among the Irish