, 1880-12-05

TIE progress of the Land League Of Irish
farmers in the attainment Of its purpose is
something astonishing. It set out, among
other things, to force down the excessive
rents cxacted of the tenants to Government
valuation, which would be a reduction Of at
least onc-third to onc-half on the existing
r:sck-rcntals forced out of the people. In the
whole island it would amount to more than
thirty millions of dollars. Land valued by
the Government Us worth rental of three,
five, eight, and ten dollars an acre, las been
screwed up by the landlords to-paying five,
eight, twelve, and twenty dollars all acre.
The result Is, frtghtful poverty and misery,
anu chronic discomfort and hatred OF tho
British Government. The people find, by long
and bitter experience, that they cannot pay
the rents demanded by the feudal
land-robbers, and live. The American peo-
Pile, and The Irish in this country, arc con-
stantly called upon to donate money by the
millions OF dollars to help pay those out
ragoous and impossible rents; and they arc
becoming weary OF the neyer-ending neces-
sity for so doing. At last the farlucrs have
''struck" against their oppressors, and
formed a League to compel them to lower
the rents to an endurable limit. They have
resorted to ''Boycotting,' with astonishing
success. They are stopping the lleartiess
eviction business; and many Of the landlords
are voluntarily coming forward and reducing
the rents to the Government (Grifiths' yalu-
alton. L cab1e-uispatch says:
It is noticeable fuct that many landlords arc
accepting Gritfifhs' Valuation. K boyle corrc-
spoudent says TINT Lady Louise Tennson, Lord
Dcrreync, Col. FfolItott, and other ia1scomtnon
landlords are giving in and accepting the Gov
Slr 81 John c: Carden, and Mr. Wiliinn Rurnc, in
Tippcrary.. ,- ,.... .... .. .e.g-:H 7', tst':
And 'this-i, a highly irnpo1 tant asntl sl!;1tr1-
cant bit Of news:
LONDON, Dec. alt IS said now that Gladstone,
tended to enable Enytts!t tenants occupying f1rms
to c0nucrt their teTml1ubk t'tures into perpetual
tenure, On certain conditions, md subject to z
rally the Conservatives III body against the
policy of tho Government. and open tho real
conflict, Of which the Irish contest has SO far
been but the preliminary skirmsh, and bring On
the long g-threatcned county-franchise measure
Of tho Liberals.
Discussing the subject OF the misery of the
Irish farmers, the New York Nation. (edited
by Protestant Irishu,an) remarks, in its
last issue:
Tho latest support Of the case Of the Irish ten
antry bus come from some very powerful letters
in the London Daily Ncws from Mr.. Russell, q.
T.. one OF the leaders Of the English Bar, but an
lrshmau aud member Of Parliament for An
Irish constituency They arc bur an ampl!tica.
ton ct tho propositions laid down by Prof.
Ihorold Rogers, which VIC quoted hast week.
We would strongly advise those who are dis
cussing the subject on this side of the water. in
tho pulpit and elsewhere, and are disposed to
settle i out Of hand BY nscribng the present
turmoil to the character Of the Irish peasnntry,
and particularly to their improvidcnce and lazi-
ness. to reai more Of the evidence about it.. The
land question in trela1ld in Ito way differs from
the land question everywhere. No race has ever
submitted long to the tenure under which the
Irish 1tasnntry live; aud it ~ us true Of them rs
it was Of the French people in sully's day, that
their turbulence and mutny are due not to
natural pcrversity, but t3 - impatfencc lie souf-
frir:' The widness and absurttity Of their po-
1itlcal aspirations must not blind us to tho evils
OF their economical condition, evils which
really make thcm seem under tho circumstances
remarkably thrifty and industrious. The - nat
ural-peryorsity theory has beeu for agcs q
fRyorit defense Of bud government, but We be-
lteve 1t has never yet stood the test Of expert
ment. No race which has left tho savage stnte
has ever yet failed to labor and save when GER
tain Of security and Justice.