The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-24


and oats, valued at Gl0 to Gl2, was
burned to the ground during the
night by malicious fellow tenants, be.
cause she was suspected Of having
paid her rent. 1t can be readily seen
why she should be destitute at this
time. Fortunately the law allows
these victims full compensation, and
the tenants of the district have to d.
vide the cost among them; but it takes
u long time to recover the money
through the court, so that she unfortu-
nate tenant may bc totally unable to
tide over affairs until the time of COM
pcnsation arrives.
The poor law, however, provides
that where the rent Of tho holding is
four pounds the tenant must pay half
the poor rate, or tax, but where the
rent is less than that amount the ten
ant is exempt. In Derrycoosh there
arc but four tenants rated for the tax.
The correspondent does not think
that reduction of the rent would
afford much relief. According to the
best satistician in Ireland, one hun
drcd thousand tenants III the island
pay not more than three pounds or
fourteen dollars and u half rent. A
reduction Of even twenty-five per
cent. would only be three dollars and
scventy-iivc cents, while each tenant
is in debt now from fifteen to fifty
dollars, to which the rent reduction
would be but drop in the bucket.
The letter concludes: Sir Roger
PalE,cr is ono Of those landlords who
have turned a deaf car to the noise Of
the agitalors, and has refused any re-
ducti0n OF rent whatever. His estate
is said to be rented at fair rates. and |
believe he is regarded us Il good land
lord. Though he has refused to
reduce the rents on his estate
they arc being fairly paid, particulars
ly by the poorer tenants, as is the case
all over Ireland. Believing the agita-
ton to be subsiding Sir Roger has
instructed his agent 10 purchase and
import from Scotland Il large quantity
Of "champion" seed potatoes for
gratuitous distribution among his
tenants, and he will also give them any
meal they may require, to be paid for
at cost price at Il future time as they
are able, aiiit, furthermore, tho agent
has been directed to cXpend money on
useful works, where they may be
necessary for relief.
The Erccman'S Jou,m0l, of Dublin,
says:
Extensive drainage works have,
since the distress has become extreme.
been indiciously and most generously
inauguratcd by his Grace the Duke of
Lcinster with the very best possible
results. Those works arc in stimuli
tancous progress in two different dis
tr!cts on Ills Gracc's estates in the
county Of Kildare. Just outside the
town OF Athy deep, broad cut ESQ
deep and broad that it almost deserves
the name of Il canaD has been opened
through three miles Of the estate. The
sides of the cut arc being firmly en-
banked, and substantial bridge
erected where it travcrscs the road.
Already the water is pouring down
through the lesser arteries from the
scmi-liquid bogs and rained soaked
fields, and Is running like mill stream
TIN ough the main channel that has been
newly opened. The works mean not
merely food for the starving poor in
the present, but better harvcsts and
abundant fuel for the farmers in the
future. The operations near Athy
arc conducted under the direction Of
an efficient engineer, Mr.. Rutherford.
On an average something like two
hundred and fifty men arc daily en-
ploycd at wages ranging from 9s. to
lSs. per week. During the last month
as much as Fl ,2G00 has been expended.
The works in progress at Castlcder-
mott arc similar III character but on
somewhat less extensive scale, the
number of men daily employed being
about eighty, and the monthly cX-
pcnditurc from f700 to ES00. Hun
drcds Of men, who must otherwise
have sat idle and hungry Mt home
with their children around them
clamoring vainly for food are now en-
gagged in honest and cheerful toll.
Need we indicate the manifold and
manifest advantages of such system
over any scheme Of clccmosynary as
sistancc, however judiciously concciv-
cd and muniticcntly carried into effect.
IN the first instance aid in the form Of
W ges c; n reach the only class that is
most deserving Of assstancc-thc class
who arc able and willing to work, but
arc ashamed to beg, and who, when
aims arc going, have but poor chance
against the loud-voiccd and practiscd
mcndicant. The assistance, too, reach
cs them in the most grateful form-in
form in which it can be accepted
without any sacrifice Of their scli.rc-
spcct.
From this it will be seen that the
landlords arc not Ecartlessly leaving
their tenants to sturvc. Such aid is
much better than mere charity. 1t is
also said that tho dcsttution chiefly
prevails among the Catholic popula-
ton. No untavorablc reports arc re-
ccivcd from the Protestant counties.
Subscriptions arc being raised in Eng
land and America. Queen Victoria
subscribed five hundred pounds. New
York has already sent seven thousand
dollars, Chicago five thousand, and tho
work is just beginning. 1t is to be
/ Il