New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-03
PHASES OF IRISH DISTRESS.
RACK-RENTs ENACTED FOR POOR LAND-THE LAM
SYSTEM THOROUGHLY BAD.

CLARE NORRIS, Mayo. April 1.-Walter NJ bourhe
is the largest landed lord in Glare Morris anu MS
tenants arc the poorest people in It, de mas De-
tween 400 and 500 tenants. They are nearly all
"smal tenants" They live on INFERIOR wet, cold
undrained land He has done nothing for IT, rms
wear he borrowed 5000 or E700 from the Board oil
Works to give employment to his tenants. lie u
understood that this is Government rehet
measure. The Government loans money TO land
lords at nominal rate of interest so thar they may
improve their lands, and give work instead OF
charity to their tenants. BOurke was one OF tne
landlords who took advantage OF this scheme lie
employed those tenants who had not paid their rent,
and agreed to pay them six shillngs week 1or
their toil-twenty five cents dayl But he keeps
it for rent duel These tenants live on Indian
meal nothing else, and 1t is supplied by
charity But Bourke gets his rent! This Is
the rate of wages in Winter; in Summer
the landlord raises the pay to So 90 week-ahd
find themselves By paying tnese starvation prices
Also he gets the work done for less than half the
estimated cost, because the loan was made NJ i've
ing rate of wages and he thereby secures hall tho
loan for other uses. This property was Inherited
from BOurke's brother, who received it from his
father. Old BOuTke representative Irish land
lord in his dealings with his tenants He raised his
rents four or five times. He planted the village
of Cuiltibo" Just as fast as tenant reclaimed
bog lat his own sole expense and by his own hard
work. Bourke raised the rent OH him." The lands
when he bought them were not worth more than 10
shillngs an acre. and now they arc paying from 90
shillngs to 100 shillings an acre. The entire In
crease of value was due to the tenants
Take six cases." said Father Corbett the curate
here. {" in Cutibo Pat Coon's holding is, by Gov
erument valuation, worth 10 shillngs-it was
raised to e5 John O'Regans valuation. 10 shil-
lings-rental, Ell 1Oj; James PrendcrgaScs yalnd-
ton, G1-rental, Ell Owen liant, valuation, 10
shings-rental. G2 los; Pat Regain valuation
% shiliings-rental, e. los.
"The next largest proprietor in the parish" con-
tnued Father COrbett, is Mayor Jordan, of Castle
bar. tie Crown Solicitor. He has fifty or sixty ten
ants Just as soon as he bought the property no
doubled the rents at one sweep. This was about
sixteen or seventeen years ago. Ii was the most
inferior land in the parish, adjoining bog. The
rent before he bought it was too high. Here arc
some cases in his village of Cloonmore Peter Heaey,
Government valuation G7-rental ETA los. Michael
Barnaele, valuation G1 SIS. 5d.-rental 81; Martin
Forkan, valuation E1 13s.-rental ca; Michael
Givan, valuation f3 Is. 7d.-rental 60. All the
rest of the tenants pay double the valuation Each
tenant has also to pay CT a year for peat"
"The next landlord" said Father COrbett, is Sir
Robert Bloss He is not a very bad landlord. lie
has number of vexatious bylaws no is tyrant;
but on the whole, his tenants consider themselves
lucIv. One of his tenants was fined CT increa-e of
rental lust because his son killed hare, and the
Door man has been Obliged to pay that fine Tor the
last ten years. There are two cases of that kind"
OLD MAN WILLIAM NALLY. LANDLORD.
"Thcn there is old man William Nally. lie Is
bad landlord He was tho former ballh Of Sir
Robert Bloss and bought this land, and also got
number of farms at q moderate rental. lilo has
tenants at MeeliCkmOre, not far from here. lie
rents at from 80 to 40 per cent over Government
N L.,
addition 10 that he charged at the rAo of about 80
per acre for the right to cut bog, ~ to two years
ago-until Parnclps agitation began; then he cut 1t
down to co los, and last year lie cut it of
altogether. Michael Tracy on this mans estate. is
charged E3 los for land valued at & 5s.; Pat
Canny, ell los for land valued at 81 los. Pat
Higgins. f22 for land valued at ell los. This
agitation made many Of those hard landlords afraid
OF public exposure; 1t put three millions OF dollars
| into the tenants pockets, by preventing unjust
| additions to rack-rcnt, and it gave them whole
swamps Of peat!
viii ten YOU n case Of q sub-tenant by name r.
l.. COMEDY, cottler, upon large farm that NalIy
| held for Sir Robert That cOttier is paying GA
year for two acres of land and the pasture OF COW
| and calf.
| ants is similar-rents exceedingly hgh and in all
| of them ut present tho minority are receiving
or have received processes Of ejectment. They are
this neighborhood" asked, "haye been able to
| pay these excessive rents this year,
have not only not been able to pay their rents bnt
| they are on the relief list. Not single man
Jordan's property is able to pay his rents.-every
| single man on this property is getting relief"
| "Of the 200 persons in your parish" asked,
"who are now receiving relief how many are tenant
| farmer5p
Nearly every one of them" was the answer.
fare small tenants aud every single one of them is
threatened with eviction"
do any of these landlords contribute to the
y" Sir Robert Bloss said Father Corhett. gave
EGO. He has an annual rental OF tlO'OOO. Oh
| twenty great landlords he IS the only one who has
| given anything"
=" DO they all raise their rents rs a rule as fast as
| the tenants improve their land u
| "Yes," said Father Corbett. Now here arc com
pete lists of all of them ard their tenants, aud tho
valuation and the increase in rentals.
"Stcphen L. Cream, the chairman Of the Board Of
| Guardians, has rental of $4,000 n year III this
parish. Take any of the tenants on tho list here.
| John LyOns-valuaiiOn, E6 0s.i rental G1O. james
/ Decentralization. 60 15s. rental, 81. James Gu
nane-valuatiOn. 9S; rental E15. All the rest arc
q Here il Routedgo Fair landlord Of Luralishcan.
| Widow INSTRUMENTATION, Gl los. rental, 81 Is.
James Gerry1yaluation, "a los; rental * 2s'
Here IS Michael Irlsten, OF Gloom
tough. Thomas A, B3GyIe-yanattion. 60 49, JOS;
rental Ell g. Martin tG SanTI 6d I,
me scores of similar instances. The Irish landlord
ism is fcudal system shOrn Of the duties of feudal-
ism--which eXacts all the rights Of ownership in tho
soil, but recognizes duties to the men who culti-
vate it. 1t sasysiem without one redeeming feature
After having Dlghtcd every country OF Europe ~
still exists to curse the soil and the souls OF the
| Irish people. 1t must be abolished If famine Is TO
| be prevented.
LAND WITHOUT LAUGHTER.
The Irish have been described by novelists and
! travellers hght-hearted and rolickihg people
full OF fun and quick in repartee,-a devil-mecare
race of folks. equally ready to dance or to fight
have not found them l found them in the West
of Ireland sad and Respondent people; care-worn.
| broken. hearted and shrouded in gloom. Never
once In the hundreds of cabins that l entered
never once eVen-did see merry eye or hear the
| sonnd of a merry voice. Old men and boys old