The Indianapolis journal., 1883-05-10
VAGRANT "AGITATORS."

general opinion is that the condition of Ire
greatest number of paupers, and in which
the greatest distress is said to prevail, is nor
NAL, no worse recently and at present than
usual There is no starvation imminent any
where and the suffering from poverty is
twice-told tale, with which the inhabitants
are thoroughly familiar. The situation there,
as compared with our own country, is dis
tressing enough, but the causes are other
than failure of crops and productiveness
of soil, and must be sought for in the
laws under which the people live and to in
dividual unthriftiness. 1t is pointed out,
too, that the generous aid so ungrudgingly
given by the people of the United States for
the relief of the Irish people is often diverted
from its purpose and it would be we'll in
the future to so control its distribution that
the purpose for which it was given will be
subserved.
1t is more than possible that great por-
ton of the thousands OF dollars annually
to other uses. Those who are at the head of
the agitation certainly enj oy the first fruits
of this fund. They lounge about the best
hotels in New York and Paris, doing moth
ing but talk, and enjoy themselves
at the expense of serving girls and
laboring men in America. 1t is time this
incubus were shaken off. Their stories to
stir up discomfort are falsely colored. Their
tales of widespread distress and starvation
are largely apocryphal. Like the 'fgreat"
labor agitators in this and other countries,
they work hardest with their jaws. The
poor are rendered discontented by the chat
ter of these idlers, and the result is strike
in some form or other, entailing real distress
where fancied distress prevailed before. 1t
is time the people were awake to the true
character of these fellows. The ship of labor
and of liberty should throw over these
Jonahs, these sinecures at the ex-
pense of honest men and women.
Their teachings are worse than pestilence
and famine, and their empty lives are curse
that ought to be got rid of as speedily and
effectually as possible. An honest laborer is
capable of doing his own thinking, and is apt
to do it better, and to better advantage to
himself, than can any self-constituted patriot
and agitator, too lazy to work and just hon
est enough not to steal, so long as he can
dupe anybody into contributing to his sup
port. Itisa marvel how patient the common
people are with these fellows. Year after
year American hired girls and American day
scanty means to help their country
men in the fatherland; and with
what result? Nothing is done that
is not harmful and retrogressive. liberal
government, with Gladstone at its head, is
in position and disposition to give Ireland
privileges not enjoyed for years. At the
most inopportune juncture the disciples of
such leaders as Finnerty, and others of
their kind, to say nothing of such assassin
inciters as O'Donovan Rossa-or at least those
who expect to be and are protected behind
outrage, that Mortified the world. That was
the legitimate outcropping of the teaching
of the men who claim assassination and dyn-
amte as the weapons of civilization. They
are the pests of society-dangerou to every
vital interest-to industry, to peace, to hap
piness. The world will have its poor so long
as the world stands. Upon the emotions and
passions Of these poor will these mountebanks
and humbugs play SO long as they are allowed
and can make an unearned livelihood there
by. 1t is their business to stir up discon-
tent and strife, theirs to misrepresent the
true condition of affairs, and to paint tempt
ing pictures of what may be secured by
strikes, by boycotting and by murder. 1t
is time they were discountenanced by the
people on whose industry they thrive, and
the law ought to take cognizance of them as
vagrants without visible means of support.
"
The country is informed by recent dis
matches from, WASHINGTON that the mansion