The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-02-17

TOLD BY AN EYEWITNESS.
The Suffering and DestitutfOn In
Ireland Described.
Washington Post.l


ireland, was sought for las. night by a
Post reporter in order that the expert
ence of an eye witness of the destitution
in that stricken country might he OBJ
tanned. The gentleman was cornered
at last in the Ebbitt house lobby and
questioned by the reporter. He did not
at first care to say anything, but finally
yielded.
"About month ago I obtained leave"
he said ito 60 to, Ireland to visit, my
teen years. My brother and other rela-
tives are also living over there. l ar
rived in New York last Thursday and
came to Washington Friday. During
my visit | visited the most destitute
sections, suppose, in Ireland. These
were the counties Mayo and Galway. l
was born in the former county, and that
is where my relatives live. .a.
"Are the newspaper accounts of the
distress exaggerated ?" was the pointed
question. f..
"No, sir. If anything. they do not
portray the extent of the destituiion
which exists. The people now are liv1
ing almost entirely on Indian meal
This is obtained on credit from store-
keepers, who are as poor, almost, as the
people, This meal is the last OF their
stock, and when it is gone I do not
know what they will do unless relief is
sent thtm.p i,
From what you saw in Ireland, what
Is your opinion of the cause of this fam
inc p" psasivfiI rsf m
"One reason, and prominent one, is
the bad weather. The tnrf which forms
the fuel has been drown out, and can
not be used for that purpose Then the
crops have turned out bad. But back
of all this is the landlord and tenant
system, which has led os much as any
thing to this distress" ea a9
will you tell the Post something
abont that2t' 3f5 "a ya
"lt is simply this: The landlord owns
the land, (which is sometimes large
ares. The tenant rents it But phe an-
cestors OF the tenant for. years and years
have been paying rent to the, ancestors
OF the landlord Tue value ofthe rent
ed property has been paid over and over
again. The landlord will never sell any
portion of his estate, because in so do
ing he loses just 80 much OF his only
source OF revenue. The land becomes
Impoverished for it's frequent turning
and the raising of many crops. The
tenant grows poorer every year. At
last he is left with absolutely nothing,ex-
cept his rent bill, and that stares him in
the face like grim death. He cannot
pay it,, and then comes the process OF
eviction. 1t has not yet cone to this;
generally in Ireland .a...s
st.And when it idoes?" interrupt the
Post .usynl 9lri,eRaf 4as..s Fas,e.s.
,sssWhen il does the trouble will come.
Now it is only suffering. But when the
already crushed people are turned gout
OF their, houses they willaresist. / can
see that plainly. How it will end / can
not tell. But at present that seems to
be the only solution that the problem
will have Why, cir. even now when q
process-seyer,o or person who serves the
eviction notice, goes to house, he is att
tended byione or two hundred constah-
ulary to defend him from the people. !
have seen them goirg around in this
manner when i was in Ireland"
s.What of the landlords z" Vw
"They are English, Scotch, and Irish,
Very few Of them are rich. You can
see very easily, that when the tenants
are poor and cannot pay, the landlord
must necessarily be poor too. He is in
the same boat. But there is no system
Of fairness on the part of the landlord
When q tenant, by dint VI eXtraordina.
ry exertions. makes his farm yield little
more than usual his rent is immediately
raised and out of all proportion, too
Naturally the tenant next year is indif
ferent whether he raises even enough fol
bis own sustenarce. That is the feeling
all over Ireland. The people have go,
into.ari nnconeerned state that bodies no
good 'hoo ailspi s.it 4aed Z f.sra .sa4w
q SIS not England taking notice of this
distress SO near homer sa3egsis .we..
/ wsWhat does England care So long
as she gets her taxes and her soldiers
are cared foriitis q matter of no mo
ment to ber. Irelsnd.is now looking to
the. United States for relief Every body
talked, to me Of what they. expected
| from America, and I am glad TO see,
said. Lieut.. Garvey,' "that their expecta
tions are not to be disappointed. Blu
]they will need every cent they can get
III can see nothing ahead for Ireland bu
sufering for the next six or sever
Imonths, until the next crops are gather
ed. i say that honestly and sincerely
Judging from what / have seen. " oe
"Is the destitution apparent to 4
stranger ",sodE nol,se,sgase, : as i.sis
aYes, sir, I knowiso much of it that
was actually sorry I made the visit
You cannot realize here what is goinl
on in Ireland, The women, married wo
men and young girls, are but sscsntil
clad, and barefooted from necessity
The people are quiet and civilized, bu
their condition is not to be compares
with the wild Indians on the reservation
but the sayages who, GO around home
less. reckless and begging and living o.
what they can get. They were alvey
to me the most destitute Of human be
ings, but l believe they are better o.
than the poor Irish to day. toldther
so, too, over in Ireland" sfssl
.What will bring about a better tim
for your native country2"aJa4 eote
q 81 suppose legislation by parliamen
would effect some relief But there ]
; little chance of this. The home ruler
and friends Of Ireland are in such nj
lnority that they can do nothing bu. oc
casionally obstruct legislation. And
3 was told in England that it was probs
3 BILE the parliamentary rules would be 8
( changed as to prevent even this, an
thus shut them out altogether. As tb
II present landlord and tenant systeI
, stands. Ireland's people must suffer. j
is nothing better now than slavery. Th
. only difference is that the tenant ca
leave If he can get away. That is Ii
only thing which keeps him from bein
actually in bondage. The Irish lant
lord is no better than the English {
: Scotch. There is another source {
q lcomnlaint IT. ia this. The people use