The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-06-10
ENGLISH ENQUIRY
What an Englishman thinks
Of Ireland.
Eis views Of the Land League and
irish Excitement.

1 idHu-eHc rsCf-ItIu5Iilg hcls VI OppfcsSiuh
and outrage and the terrible social state
engendered by the coercion act" have
largely interested the American mind, in
the Emarald Isle and its people. The
might and manhood of this nation was
born of oppression, and the sympathy of
its strength is with the downtrodden of
every race not only in this case, are the
American people prompted in their inter
est and sympathy by the common tie of
humanity but, no inconsiderable portion
by that of common brotherhood. Their
national representatives, coming to the
United States have found a hearty god
speed and generous welcome. The visit
of Mr. Parnell, the great apostle of Irish
rights and freedom, is still fresh in the
public mind.
Doubtless a cool and philosophical
| inquiry into the various causes of the Irish
difficulties, and a systematic study of the
j history, sentiments and customs of the two
! countries, would lead to a correcting of
many popular errors and avoidance of
much present exaggeration. Yet the heat
of conflict is seldom selected as the time in
which to make critical estimates of tactics
employed or force disposed. The masses
are actuated in every exciting issue by self
interest and instructive promptings, rather
| than by logical deduction from elaborate
reasoning.
/ THE TESTIMONY
| of American citizens, who have lately Wis
| tied Ireland, and who have witnessed the
scenes of which so much is said, is, per
| haps, the most trustworthy evidence of the
present conflict To such an one a citizen
of Rock Island, and employed as engineer
on one of the roads leading into the city,
reporter of THE ARGUS addressed himself
! last evening.
| In desultory conversation with the gen.
| tlcman, il was learned that he had returned
but few days from his transatlantic visit;
that he was an Englishman by birth; that
he had resided in this country for over
twenty years. and during that time had
made several return visits to both England
and Ireland. In the interview the fact of
his nationality cropped out, and will be no.
ticable to the reader. After having listen
ed to various interesting incidents of trav-
ell, the reporter propounded the following
questions, to which the answers were sub
stantially as given below:
Judging from your observations during
your recent visit, do you consider the stor
| les of Irish oppression, as reported in
| America, to be born out by the factsY'
| No, do not True, a large class of
the Irish people exist in the most squalid
poverty, but from the reports here given
one would judge that the whole laboring
| population was entirely destitute of the
necessaries of life. The tenant farmers, of
I 4. l.
stances, better off than the farmers of
America. 1t is the common day-laborers
who are the real sufferers. They have to
work for mere pittance and even with
this they are nationally unprovident Their
life has never been enviable, and bad
harvest or any cause tending to scarcity
of labor, will produce famine. There is
also class of small tenants, who hold lit
tie patches and who are also reduced to a
like condition.
A COMPARISON.
How do the common people, as class,
compare with their countrymen in Ameri-
ca?"
In that case the comparison is greatly
in favor of the Americanized frishman in
regard to his physical surroundings and
mental culture. This is due, in my opin-
ion, to his surroundings. His poverty is
caused by combined oppression and inn
providence, and his ignorance by lack of
opportunity for knowledge. In America
this is different and the Irishman rapidly
changes for the better. Besides, but few,
comparatively, of the very lowest types of
the Irish come to America. They are gen.
orally the tenants and the best of the Ia
borers"
THE CAUSE.
I'm your opinion. is the present system
of landlordism the cause of the difficulties
and distress?"
Only partly so. 1t is a great and it
may be the chief cause, but several others
doubtless aid in producingit. The present
system of land letting is gri ,vous wrong
to both landlord and tenant. Under a diff
ferent order Of things both could be better
served. The landlord is hardly ever res
ident of the land. If not, his local agent
is generally some heartless skinfiint who
has his own pocket to fill. This agent
takes no account of poor crops, sickness, |
or any cause which may operate against
the wretched tenant, but exacts the last
penny; leaving them, sometimes, without
means to exist until the next harvest |
Then, too the valuation of lands and the
scale of rents has been altogether wrong. |
1t was figured out good many years ago |
by the government to suit those times, but |
American competition and improved agri- |
culture in England have left them but
very small margin for their paltry surplus
crop"
AN ENGLIsHMAN's VIEWS
what are your personal views of the |
Land League organizations"
at may be that as l am an Englishman
that look at this from an Englishman's |
stand point but to me the terrible hue and
cry raised by those same Land Leaguers
over the distree of the people reminds me
of the stories of southern outrages told in |
this country every election by Republican
politicians who have an axe to grind, |
and who, by holding out wonderful prom
Uses of enrichment at the expense of the
landowners to poor wretches who crowd to |
hear the haranagues, have wrought up |
that impulsive people to its present pitch |
of excitement There is, however, another
class of Irishmen, whose representatives in |
Parliament and elsewhere, while deprecat- |
Ing and opposing the expressions as much |
as Mr.. Parnelfs crowd, are more cool and
clearer headed These men see the folly |