The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-30

came back converted In a letter TO the
/ Blade he describes the horror of the situa-
ton there. the poverty anddestitut ion and
is bold in his ascribance of it to its cause:
landlordism. In relating his experiences
there be gives the following deposition of
Edward Hannah, as evicted tenant near
Cork, and certifes to its truth:
I'm 1882 took farm from Mr.. Richard
Martin, Little Island, represented in my
lease as containing ninety nine acres, three
roods and sixteen perches. at los per acre.
In 1872 Mr.. Martin advertised another
farm adjoining the one which I held stat
ing that il contained I4S acres. | took it
at los per acre.
| In few years discovered that these
| farms did not contain the number OF acres
represented and we got two civil engis
neers to survey the farms. The result or
their Investigations proved farm No. to
measure So acres; farm No. Q, 115 acres
/ hold the engineers certificate which
showed to Mr. Martin, thus showing that /
had been paying for five acres at los. per
acre in farm No. for 90 years. and for
% acres in farm No. Q. for 20 years at los
per acre, land which / had not in my pos
| session.
I agreed to pay Mr.. Martin the amount
due to him for rent providing he allowed
me the amount I had already paid him in
| advance. He refused to do so, but got an
execution against me, and had the crops
sold in my absence before I got notice.
He then served me with a notice saying
| that he would take criminal proceedings
against me if I touched the crops.
He then commenced to cut and save the
crops with his own men. On the 9Th Of
.x.eT.a
bailiffs and thirty police, evicted me on the
roadside. I asked him if he would allow
me in for the night. He refused He
scattered my furniture about the yard, and
/ when / went to prevent the bailiffs break
ing my furniture, was threatened by q
police officer with arrest
Bear in mind the fact that poor Hannah
does not get a cent for the Improvement of
20 years. that everything on the place,
| even the wretched cabin, was put there by
the tenant, but out he went, all the same
If this is not brigandage what is it? In
what respect does Mr.. Richard Martin diff
fer from a highway robber? and what
kind of government is it that maintains
soldiery to back up the Mr.. Richard Mar
/ tins in their robberies?
Is there any cause for discomfort in Ire
lands Were I Edward Hannah / think
should be discontinued, and / should try
If o shotgun would not make some dis
content in the vicinity of Mr. Richard Mar
| tin. 81 But he cannot do this for he is not
permitted to own a shotgun, and then
there are the terrible police.
1t needs to be borne in mind that this
land, when Harmon went upon it, was en-
tirely worthless; it was bog and stone, and
| until the stone and bog were removed, 40
acres would not have pastured agoat. He
had Inf. ar, hot 1a,.1 Fl, 1xa
had made beautiful farm of it, be. had
been paying for the land which he did not
have, and with all this he was evicted, the
crop of the year seized, and he turned out
to starve. with no redress.
The thirty police, armed with carbines.
made the law in this case, and it does in all
cases in Ireland.
The following Sunday meeting to pro-
test against this injustice was held upon the
land, and detachment of police followed
the procession, and a government reporter
was present nnder their protection to take
down the speeches. The speakers had to
be careful what they said. Anything which
the sergeant of the Royal Irish constabu-
larry might construe as ''seditious," would
lead to summary arrest, and the unfortu-
nate speaker would find himself in Jail in
short meter"
Mr.. O'Connor graphically described the
scenes of restitution and poverty that con
verted Mr. Locke to sympathizer OF the
Irish cause and since his return to this
country no American has been so steadfast
in his opinions, and so outspoken in his
utterances as has been Mr.. Locke.
Mr.. Warnock says that the statement
that Ireland is united in the views OF Par
nell is simply false. La reply to that it is
only necessary to remember that the Land
League has declared mo rent" until Par
nell is released and no rent is paid; that it
takes a vast majority of the people of any
country to make ''boy-cotting" possible,
and yet ''boy-cotting' is a brilliant and
startling success in Ireland to-day. These
two facts, about which there is not the
slightest doubt, prove union in Ireland
that certainly should be productive of
strength.
The attack upon Mr.. Parne1l contained
in the letter need not be answered, it is
simply the English view of his motives and
actions.
The very fact that there is agitation in
ireland, argues that tneFe is cause Tor COM |
plant; the fact that that agitation is SO
wide spread, shows that the complaint is
equally general the fact that it is SO In
tense and SO determined, proves that
the wrongs are also deep. Why, the |
fact that Gladstone reduced the |
rents, is evidence that they were much too
high before; and thare is every reason for
believing that they are much too high |
yet.
As long as it is an impossibility for an
Irish tenant farmer to own foot of the I
ground he cultivates and improves SO /
long viii that farmer have cause for com
plant; and SO long viii the landlord sys-
tenn be at fault. The land bin ms passed /
under Gladstone's direction was mere
pretense of DONG justice; it was the giving
of stone when they asked for bread.
And yet he says that England has done
well by Ireland, and she ought to be crate
full. Grateful / For what? for poverty
and famine; for ignorance and want; for a
lack of the of the bare means of susie
o--.+,,, l.