National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-02-03
Is IT CIVILIZATIONS

Evidently GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, of
The Journal of Civilization, hasno bowels
of compassion for the ftmine-stricken in
habitants of Ireland. He says in recent
editorial, intending to discourage American
liberality, that England is already moving
Z" to relieve Irish Distress" and that in
" this country the appeal for relief is COM
"plicated by its being associated with a
political policy" lie assumes that the
declared policy of the National Land League
OF Ireland of moving in Parliament-ior that
is the method of the League-lor the pur-
pose of obtaining such reform in the
" laws relating to land as will enable every
tenant to become the owner of his holding
by paying fair rent for limited num-
=" Der of years. is one which does not COM
mend itself to the good judgment of the
American people, and therefore inlers that
this Objectionable feature, from Journal
" OF Civilization point of view, will COM
"plicate that is to say restrain America
from extending sympathy aud contribut-
ing of its means to the starving poor of Ire
land with it's customary generosity. Now,
why the policy Of the Irish Land League, as
above quoted from Mr.. CURTIS, should
be held to be so Objectionable in
ITSELF or why it should complcate
itself with simple matter of humanity
and charity in an unbiased mind, it is in our
humble Judgment impossible to conceive
1t must be assumed that the policy referred
to is the only one which stands as an in
surmountable barrier between GEORGE
WILLIAMS generosity and the starving
poor of Ireland-complicating his purse
strings into hard knots, as it were-for un-
doubleday irthe Land League had more
Objectionable feature in its policy, the
Journal Of Civilization" would not have
omitted to expose it. Yet, not to do Mr.
CURTIS m injustice, it must be frankly
admitted that he and the firm for which he
writes regard the proposed reform in the
English land laws for Ireland as rank Com
munism in the most offensive meaning of
the word. The editor of Hdrper's Weekly
triumphantly asks, Would the government
be any more Just in its treatment of the
then, as u reductiO dd d6sHrdnn, and to
show the injustice which might be done to
| the pillars of the British constitution-tbe
great lords of the land--he asks, Why
should not the tenant farmers of England
be also enabled to become the owners of
their holdings by paying reasonable rent
for them? This is, no doubt clincher
of argument, according to the British
landlords and GEORGE WILLIAM CUR
IT'S method of reasoning. But if these
lords and lordlings would graciously
allow us the privilege of speaking
for the American people as freely rs they
are in the habit Of speaking of our institu-
tons and of debating our National policy
we would have no hesitation in saying that
government which necessarily acts in q
public manner, and is, therefore, subject ia
the enlightened criticism of the world
would if brought into direct relationship
with the cultivators of the soil, in all prob
ability be incapable of turning them and
their helpless wives and little ones out OF
their small holdings 10 beg or die of starya.
ton by the wayside, when failure of crops
or other misfortune deprived them of the
means to pay the rent or time payments
due on their little farms. We do not think
that any government could be guilty of the
atrocities now being perpetrated in Ireland
under the absentee landlord system, and
face the scorn of the civilized world. And
as to the tenant farmers of England being
enabled to become the owners of their hold.
ings by paying for them by reasonable
rent or other method, we think that the
English farmers will agree with us that a
reform of that kind would not be quite a.
absurd one as GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS
regards it.
But without asking leave of English
landlords or GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, we
assert, without fear of any perceptible dis
sent worth noticing, that the Am ericar
people do not care continental snap Of
their fingers about any political complica.
ton which may suggest itself to GEORGE
WILLIAM CURTIS, and Reformers of that
ilk, when furnishing thousands of their own
blood and kin stretch out flmiue.shriveleC
hands to them appealing for help and
food Or for the disapproval by any one
here--Or ON the other side of the water
eithcr-Of any help or sympathy which
may be given to the starving people of Ire.
1 land.
Aside from all this, and taking the pro-
posed land reform, which is so objection
able to Mr.. CURTIS, on its merits we con
fess to an utter ignorance Of the spirit ant
genius of the American people, and of theii
institutions and land policy, if the princ
pies of the National Land League of Ire
land, as they are stated by the editor of tn,
journal of Civilization" do not heartily
commend themselves to the best iudgmen
of every well-informed and patriotic Amer
lean. The Rev. Henry WARD BEEcHEI
struck the keynote of public sentiment OIL
this side of the Atlantic with no uncertain
hand, when lie said that 4" he who tills tn,
soil should own the land" AMEN
to that, Mr.. BEECHER, you there SPOKE
the true sentiment Of the party of Freedom
/, Justice and Humanity, which Yields tn,
destines of our great Republic If thi
sentiment il Communism we would re