The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-10-19
THE IRISH CONFERENCE.
Expenditure of the Land League


DUBLIN, Oct. 1.-THE Irish ma
tional conference opened here to-
day. Parnell presides, and a letter
was read from Egan, dated Paris,
rendering his resignation as treasu-
rer Of the land league and giving
statements of the fund of the league.
The reports show that a total of
e244, 800 sterling has passed through
his hands. OF this sum there was
disbursed in relieving distress
in 1879 and 1880, 100000 in defense
at state trials over G15,000; and in
expenditures, through the general
land league and ladies' league, 9148,-
600, leaving a balance of nearly 942,-
900. Parnell and Davitt were re-
ceived with tremendous cheers by
the delegates. Nearly all of the ex-
treme Irish members of parliamedt
were present. The attendance of
delegates is large.
LATERAL the time fixed for the
opening of conference very few del
egates were present, but IN about an
hour there were between seven hun
1red and eight hundred in the hall.
On the platform were Lord Mayor
Dawson and Messrs. Healey, Thorn
as. Power. O'Connor, Corbet, Gill,
Sexton, O'Sullivan and Brennan.
Mr.. Egan in his letter. of resignation
says: In view of the fact that
new national organization is likely
to spring from the conference, and
as it is impossible for me to be longer
absent from my business in Dublin,
[ earnestly beg my friends
In the land league, to relieve me
from the treasurship. Mr..
Egan then submits a financial
statement specifying the purposes to
which the G148,000 expended
through the general land league and
ladies land league were applied as
follows: The support of land league
huts, payment of law costs and gen.
eral expenses of organization for his
own protection as well as for the
satisfaction of the members of the
league. Mr.. Egan asks that two
of the executive committee be deput-
ed to examine his accounts. Mr..
Davitt proposed and Mr.. Joshen
Mccarthy seconded a warm vote of
thanks to and of the continued con-
fidence in Mr.. Egan, which passed.
Mr.. Parnell, in an address to the
conference, corrected the impression
that nothing had been done for the
evicted tenants. He said that since
the dissolution of the ladies' league
G2774 had been spent in relieving the
demands upon them and that hun
dreds of families had been placed in
position to avail themselves of
the benefits of the arrears act.
Messrs. Brennan and Sexton were
appointed secretaries OF the confer
ence. Numbers of letters and tele-
grams from America, approving the
movement, were read. Letters were
also received from several Catholic
bishops apologizing for their alb
sence and expressing confidence in
the leaders of the movement. Mr..
Parnell then submitted the pro-
gramme of the conference and re-
viewed its proposals.
He said he wished to reaffirm his
first utterance on public platform
namely: That until the people of
Ireland obtained the right to make
their own laws they never would be
in accordance with their wishes, and
no solution of the land question
could be final that did not secure to
farmers the right of becoming own
ers of their holdings by purchase.
He estimated that fair amendment
of the Healey clause would result in
an average of 20 per cent further re-
duction in judicial degrees fixing
rent. He said the Irish party requir-
ed ninety members in parlia-
ment, but they could not hope for
this until franchises was placed on
the basis of household suffrage. A
scheme for the establishment of the
Irish league was then adopted, after
which Mr.. Davltt addressed the con-
vention. He spoke in somewhat
more pronounced terms than Par
nell. He declares that until the land
which was stolen from the people as
national property, there could be no
final and satisfactory settlement of
the land question, at the same time,
he wished it to be distinctly UNDER
stood, that his declaration did not
seperate him from Mr. Parnell. On
the land question Mr.. Parnel accept
ed the amendment to the proposed
land scheme, to the effect that the
increased taxes should be placed on
grass lands and that all covenants
against letting should be declared
void.
The proceedings of the conference
to-day were not altogether harmo-
NOUS. A delegate named Louden,
who attempted to speak, was shout
ed down as "Land Grabber" and
Renegade" and denounced by ex-
suspect Darlington as "a coward
who ran away from coercion" All
the speakers declared the land act
an utter failure. Mr.. Davitt said he
was unable to go with Mr..
Parnell in his scheme of land
reform, but he would cooperate
with him for the abolition OF land
lordism.
On motion of Mr.. Davitt it was
resolved to include the establish
ment of workingmen's clubs and
reading rooms as among the objects
of the conference.
Catering To the Factions.