New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-15

THE WOES OF VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE
HARD LINES FOR IRISH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TENANTS THEMSELVES

lET>aNIo 1HEMStINES STILL HARSHER OPP
Observation-Disclosures OF TIE TELEGRAPH
CLERKs-THEIR CONTROVERSY WITH THE LORDS
OF TIL TREAsuRY-LoRD HUNrLY's FINANCIAL
TRoUBLEs-HOPEs THAT A PROMISING CAREER
MAY NOT BE WHOLLY BLIGHTED.
lFRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TRIBuNE.l
LONDON, June 23.-We have heard great deal
lately of that very interesting class the Irish
tenant farmer His wrongs and grievances have
been explained with funess: and the agitation for
their redress is in full swing In the midst of it
comes once in while reminder that the agricul-
tura population OF Ireland does net consist entirely
CT landlords and tenants. There is third class
the laborer and there is reason to think that
the tenant is much occupied in miss onary efforts
with his landlord that he has time to listen to
the complaints of the poor creatures to whom the
tenant is himself in the relation if not of landlord
of employer. 1t is a familiar maxim in the courts
| that those who seek equity must do equity Here is
! a paragraph which shows how the Irish tenant
interprets this precept
haborers in Ireland are more than half the popu-
iatioh: AS BODY they are more deserving than the
tenants, They very much poorer, and are
treated by the tenants with hardness beyond be-
food the food being given them because if the men
were fed no better than their families they could
NOT work az all Ont of this high rent is stopped
for the cabin and potato garden. If the potatoes
fal; the farmer becomes security to the meal
rous interest the dealer charges for credit are also
stopped from the wages. | have again and again
treated the tenants usually with half the hardness
with which the tenants treat the laborers, there
would indeed be righteous cutlery. And even of
employment thus wrctchcdly paid the farmers give
very little.
That is, admit, the statement of landlord But
the landlord is man who knows and who is him
self known-Mr. Bence Jones; known among others
as the landlord whom his tenants tried to Boy
cott,' and could not. He has written much on the
land question; many letters and book, perhaps
one OF the best books yet Published on this subject
Ills experience has been remarkable. His previous
statements have been much attacked; not very
successfully He is an honest and Intelligent man.
although n landlord, for even Mr. Parnell admits
that there good landlords The particular
letter from which l am quoting appeared two days
ago. No answer to 1t, contradiction of it, has so
far as | know, appeared. Should it remain unan-
swercd, and should the condition of the laborer AS
herein described, and the oppression of him by the
tenant become generally known it is probable that
some of the sympathy now freely bestowed on
the tenant may be diverted to the tenants victim
The facts are incontestablc SAWS Mr. Bence
Jones; which, as they relate to Ireland. does not
In the least tend to prove that they may not be
contested. The state of Irish aborers" adds he
;" is III every respect much worse than that of the
tenant, and more needs rem-iy. If the landlords
are hard on the tenant-and there is no proof that
as rule, they are-they do show compassion or
some OF them do, for the laborer They spend large
| sums IN giving employment and that without hope
OF return Some OF us have done this for thirty or
more years, and have paid much higher wages for
the same reason" And Mr. Bence Jones has the
presumption to urge that il be wise to drive
Improving landlords of this class ont of the country
| ana hand over their powers to the tenants and
leave the laborcrs at the utter mercy of their pres
| emf oppressors. If these suggestions came from
| anybody but landlord and Englishman they
| might be thought deserving of attention Putting
| the suggestions aside. however there remain the
| furt a f,r
| makes them known be in the hand of an owner of
| land not born i'll Ireland.
| TELEGRAPH CLERKS AND THE TREASURY
1t appears the telegraph clerks are i'll satisfied
with Mr. Fawcetts concessions. They complained
| of being overworkcd and underpaid and of not
peng placed. in respect of pensions and promotions
etc, on anything like equal footing with other
clVil servants or rather of not being recognized as
members OF the civil Service at all for any pur-
pose beneficial to themselves After much apito-
ton and some Parliamentary mention. they cxtorted
| from the Department certain improvements IN tbo
regulations about overtime and a certain but very
| moderate Increase of pay. Their other claims are
| rejected. 1t is odd instance of the paramount
authority welded by the Treasury that these con
cessions proceed from that Department and not
| from the Post Onice. The Treasury in more than
one sense of the word, lords it over other Deport-
ments in way that renders their chiefs at times
| restiVe IL was only the other day that a Cabinet
Minister'S request for 81 900 year to pay another
| private secretary was absolutely refused The
| Minister III question happened to be a man who
does not like being ruled or ovcrruled by a perma-
| nent clerk, and he carried his point in the end
| though not without n struggle. When Mr. Faw-
cctts permanent clerks in the Post Office had al
lowed HIM to grant part of tine tecgraphsts PRAYER
| involving the spending of money he still could not
grant IT, but had to recommend to the Lords of the
| Treasury that certain things should be done
In yielding to this recommendation, d" NV Lords,
nave done II with the worst possible grace and
with sharp lecture TO the telegraph clerks on the
| enormty at their ohcnce-thc offence of asking for
more III the first place but more particularly for
ASKING IL III such IA way as To compel reluctant
| Department to grant it. They have dared these
| mutlnouS dogs. to put pressure on the Treasury
through members of Parliament. and they are told
that they have msused their electoral power to in
duce these members of Parliament to take up their
case Lord Frederic Cavendsh. Parliamentary
Secretary to the Treasury is the author or at any
| rate the sgnatory, of the document in which this
| sermon is embodied; did believe actually write
1t, and Is entitled to the credit whatever that NAV
| be, OF the views therein propounded. Ii amounts
| to saying that II member of PaIament-Iord Fred
| eric Cavendish Is himself member of Parliament
coud not De supposed to be interested in the wrongs
| of anybody who was not his constituent and who
| had not promised or threatened him in that capacity
The theory is one which commends itself SO little TO
! other minds that questions to be asked in the
| House about il, and resolution to be moved and
there will be n debate in which the official notion
of human nature is likely to meet with hard usage.
1t Is, however, the misfortune of the tcegraphsts
to be badly represented in the House of Commons.
| MIR. MaCllVer their champion 10