Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-01-29
WHY IRELAND STARvES.
Rev. Joseph Cook Undertakes
to Tell the Reason.

Rev. Joseph Cook Undertakes
to Tell the Reason.
Boston Advertiser The Old South
Church was again filed to its ut.
most capacity yesterday noon All
the seats were occupied, and
large number of people in the audi
ence remained standing. The sub
ject Of Mr.. Cooks prelude was,
"Why is Ireland Starving p and il
was evident by the applause from
certain portions of the hall that there
were in the audience some of Ire
lands sons Daniel O'Connell, said
Mr.. Cook, was governed through his
whole life by his well known saying
that he would accept of no social
amelioration at the cost Of single
drop of blood. II Ireland through
half or quarter of her territory is re-
ally starving, what is America to
send to her? Tons and 4hip loads Of
food, it may be, but not feathers
weight OF Fenianism? There was
collected in the United States in a
little more than twelve years by the
Fenian organization 100000, and of
this sum $4,000 was, according to
a report of the Fenian brotherhood
itself. expended for Irish revolution
airy purpose directly. America, so
far as She is not Irish. is not proud of
that record. General Mead drove
the Fenlans back very briskly when
they entered Canada, and believe
that if his spirit were with us to day,
and Daniel O'Connell's was also, the
two would shake hands in suppress
ing the revolutionary spirit OF Ire-
land. Applause. Notwithstanding
this, 1t is impossible to answer the
question concerning the causes of
lreland's distresses, without touching
upon the complicated and blazing
topic of land tenure. You will re-
member that am putting before you
discussion and not propositions for
governmental Interference. The Uni
ted States does not interfere in the
politics of her neighbors, but philan-
thropic discussion here may very
we'll concern it, eff with the woes OF
any people on the planet. In thi.
uuueu auu at Iuip ~i-out IS proper
for us to ask how far the distresses
of Ireland are to be accounted for
by a mischievous system of land
tenure, and we can raise this ques
ton with distinctness, even ii we are
obliged to ask whether aristocr attic
organizations of society can long en-
dure in the Old World, when once
the laws OF primogeniture and entail
be abolished?
WHY rs IRELAND STARVING
Why is Ireland starving? On &C
count of at least twelve causes The
laws of primogeniture and entail
foreign ownership of her land alb.
senteeisin Of her landlords a drain
of money from Ireland into other
countries; a system of tenantcy at
will over population exhaustion
OF the soil; diseases of crops lack of
diversi6cation of industry; Roman
ism and American competition.
!. The law OF primogeniture ac-
cumulates landed property in Ireland
in the hands of few persons.
The laws of entail prevent the
sale Of lands according to the wants
OF the population. Some Of the
great families are rot at liberty to
sell there property and cannot will it
to any except the oldest born sons.
Here are artificial restitution of land
aud If should have government in.
terfere at all in the case, it would be
not to create restrictions, but to re-
move those which government in its
lack Of wisdom in times past. in the
feudal ages, made.
3. Foreign ownership of great
portion of the island diminishes local
zeal for the Improvement Of estates.
Absenteeism of the foreign own.
ers of one quarter of the soil of Ire.
land places the tenantry in the hands
OF grasping local agents and middle
men.
5. The same absenteeism of land
lords causes drain of money or
produce from Ireland to pay high
rents, and for this outgoing expend..
ture there is no adequate return.
When, in ls47 and '4s, Boston was
sending shiploads of food to Ireland
there was twice enough food there
to maintain the population, but the
cattle and great portion ofthe corn
were drawn away to pay rents, and
the pc alto crop was nearly all that
the population had to depend on for
sustenance, aud that failed.
6 A system of tenancy at will
makes the gains of the tilIers of the |
soil most uncertain. "The Irish ten.
ant" said John Stuart Mill, sis the
only human being 10 existence who |
has nothing to gain by increased in.
dusuy, and nothing to lose by in.
creased idleness.
I The population of the island is |
out of all proportion to the capacities
of the soil.
S The exhaustion OF the soil is in |
capable OF being remedied without
the application to the processes of
agriculture of more capital than is in
most cases available.
9 The exhaustion of the soil pro-
duces diseases of crops, and especial
iy OF tie potato crop.
10 The lack of Investigation OF
industry ir Ireland is such that when
the potatoe crop fails famine occurs
MY feeling on this theme is that r.
ish prosperity will not be restored
except BY the union of the English
and Irish forces, and a long as Eng.
land discriminates against ireland or
IN any way endeavors to arrest there
the natural operation of the laws of
trade in producing . divergence of
md, stry, it will be futile to expect
P ,riIamentary acts to soothe the
land. |