Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-11-26
Digging noycott's Potatoes.


Ii is to I've presumed that the readers
of the Tribune are familiar with the
latest phase of the Irish land struggle,
III which the Land League has won in
effect II hloodlcsS victory, which will I've
mrrcachiqE IN It's influence, if 1t is fol,
lowed up With the same GOODNESS and
cunning that have characterized the
initial movements Every step that has
been taken hy the government in as.
sistng to harvest the crop of Boycott,
agent for Lord Ernc, which, accord
acres Of turnipS, ten of POTATOES, and
twenty acres of wheat and oats, has
hecn characterized Ivy the most udicu.
lous features, and has placed the gov
crnment III the most absurd aud humil-
iating posture, through the shrcwd
good sense of the Land League, The
terrified mck-rcntcr, Boycott, cuoprd
up in his farm house, not daring to ven
turc out, and mcmlly contemplating
his wheat, oats, potatoes, and tumips
rotting ON the ground FOR want of labor
crs to gather them; the gang Of Orange
mborcrs hired to 10 down there, who
themselves ARE nearly Ms much in need
Of land reform ny the Catholics, hut will
not affiliate with them because they diff
fer on dognns which neither of them
understand; the quakmg, shivering
column, marched fifteen miles through
rain and mud because no one would
hire conNrymccs to them, protected in
front and rear and ON both TANKS hy
10 IL n .,,tn
lerv, Dragons, hul1ars, and infantry,
and not seeing the face of II man along
their line Of march the crowds ot
screaming and jcering women and
children who hooted them; the pigs
which squcalcd and tho geese thnt
Missed ut them; the shivering Boycott,
coming ont of his house with his rifle
To meet the English government,
which had sent its hnyonctcd
representatives TO harvest his turnips
the Orange dogmntlsts ~ work in his
potatoticld furtivcly watching between
the rows for concealed tenants, and the
red-coats pairollinground ihe bound.
aries Of the farm TO blaze away ut amy
land-rcformcrs who might bc bold
enough To interfere, but finding nothing
worthy of their steel, not even u RIB.
hit, all this is sufficiently ridiculous,
hnmiitatng and contcmptiblc,
Never was nm Irish rack-rcnting land
agent IN such mn absurd position before.
Mover were the troops OF the English
government engaged III such Y con.
temptiblc mission. The harvesting Of
the shiycring Boycott's crops under
protection of the bnyonct, was II triumph
for the Land League. II shows that nj
least the Lcague has some hrains, some
where behind its management and il
those brains keep on working IN tho
same direction, and if the Land League
is managed with the same GOODNESS and
sagacity there will soon be nm end
Of raekrcnts, and eylctlons, and cx.
patriations The gtwcrnmcnt cannot
long stand the storm Of ridiculc, and
contempt that il sure to follow rcpcti-
| tions of the Boycott fnree, and these
lrepctitons the Land League can force
on every eviction farm in ireland.
Boycott II not the only agent who il
growing sick Of his dirty work and
Watching his opportunities 10 sneak
| away and resign any management oil
farms under hand system which
makes him the object Of silent rcorn
and detcstation. II was great victory
over Boycott himself, and consequent
~ over every other Irish agent, and has
sickcncd them of their dirty business.
It's victory which cannot but make n
deep impression on the English
people.