The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-12-11
THE IRISH AGITATION.
The Causes That Led TO it and the
Ead Sought.

are turned on IRELAND ay.
There is presented one of the most
remarkable Spectacles in the history
OF human experience. On the one
hand five millions and half of I'M
armed people battling for life and
the right to live on the land given
them by God; on the other, the rich
est government on the face of the
earth using all the subtlety Of
craftsmanship, and all the power of
brute force, to maintain the domin-
alton of a land system. the blood
stained record of which is a blot on
the intelligence of the race: and
whose very foundation rests upon
the blood and robbery of humanity.
The condition of the people of
Ireland who have Just passed
through an artificial famine.
and are now arrayed against
the power that attempted to
to starve them,is the subject of wide
spread discussion, and the remedies
proposed to ameliorate that condi-
ton are numerous, but the only
practical remedy is that proposed by
the Irish National Land League.
The Land League is itself the most
important OutgrOWth of the times.
Organized in the spring of 1879, it
has since rapidly developed until it
can, at the present moment, boast a
network Of branch organizations, all
pledged to obey the mandates of the
central body, and to work unceaS-
ingly for the abolition of landlord
ism, as it exists incOnnectiOn with
the land Of Ireland. And what is
this Land League? What has it
done? What does it propose to do ?
First-The Land League is an or
ganiZatiOn composed of men of
every religious denomination, and
every nationality who believe that
man is entitled to the use of the
soil, and that no one man, or class
Of men should mOnOpolize any part
thereof to the detriment Of others.
1t was organized first to avert the
landlord-caused famine of 1S79-SO,
and prevent, forever, the recurrence
Of those periodical famines that
have brought disgrace and humilia-
ton upon Ireland, and caused her to
be deVasted by hunger and starva-
ton. 1t has been most successful
so far, as Will be seen from what
has been done.
Second-The Land League was
the means Of saving the lives of
100000 people in Ireland during the
winter of 1S79-S0. That number of
persons it saved from death by star
Walton. 1t has kept on and REIN
stated in their holdings over $4,000
farmers; in other words it has pre-
vented $4,000 evictiOns ordered by
the landlords. Mr.. Gladstone says
that in Ireland every eviction is a
death sentence. According to that,
allowing the low estimate of six to
a family, the Land League has pre-
vented the death of $4,000 persons.
In order to appreciate more fully
this great work of saving the race,
let us glance back over the horrors
Of that other artificial famine OF
47-S-it was the saddest episode in
modern history. Over 100000 of
human beings (the accepted esti-
mate is ,O39,552) died Of sheer star
walton, while the very food which
their labor produced was being eX-
ported to English markets to get
money to pay the landlords rent.
From 1915, when that terrible fam
inc first threatened the people, to
1860, 100000 of people left the
country; S9,7S3 Of these embarked
for Canada during Al. One in
every three who arrived we're re-
ceived into hospitals, and the deaths
on the passage and. soon after ar
irving were $3.50, or over seventeen
per cent. 1t is estimated that hung
ger and the pestilence of the emf
grant ships killed nearly one
million and a half of the people
of Ireland. What prevented
a repetition of this in the past two
years? 1t was the Land League
which couDSeled the people to hold
on to their rents, and the money
subscribed through its eXertiOnS in
America and Australia When the
agents Of the Irish landlords were
misrepresenting its laborS and its
aims, it sent Charles Stewart Par
nell to this country to present and
explain its platform of principles to
the American public. The result
was that Americans, with their
characteristic sense of justice, re-
sponded, not only with their moral
support, but also with their mate
rial assistance. Through the teach
ings of the Land League the Irish
peasants, who in everything but
name were slaves, were taught to
stand erect and know their rights as
freemen and no power of cOer-
cion government; no martial law
no Imprisonment of individuals.
however numerous, will ever again
succeed in making the irish people
bow down their neckS to felOniOuS
landlordiSm.
Third-There are, according to a
parliamentary return, 1871 land
lords in Ireland. They claim to be
absolute owners of 20,046,1S2 acres,
or all Of Ireland, except the cities
and towns, basing their claims upon
the robbery and cOnfScatiOn which
their ancestors made through the
sword and cannon as hireling ma
RAIDERS. Of that number, 1913 are
abse ltees, who own twO-thirdS Of
the entire land, and who never
see Ireland, but receive their
~ 0nH