Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-07-20
CROFIER AND Golfer.
listing in Scotland.
The Men lndsstrioss and Temper.
ate, the Women Chaste and
NBeauttfuI-Thefr Heritage
Given TO Game.


Several months ago, the British parma
ment appointed commission to investigate
the condition of the crofters and cotters of
Scotland, ana to recommend measures for
lettering their condition Their report has
been made and it is full Of interest. In gen.
eral terms the "crofter" is small tenant
farmer. and the "cotter" is a common la
borer who may have, but generally does not
have, "A small patch OF land tn till They
are nearly pure Celtic in race, and in re-
ligion they for the most part belong TO what
is known as the Free Kirk In a few iso-
lated sections, however, they are mem
bers OF the Roman Catholic church.
Like the people OF ireland, they
culture for support considerable por-
ton of their food consists Of fish. Many Of
them live on small islands within sight of the
main land The soil and Climate of the re-
gions they occupy are much inferior to those
in Ireland. As with the Irish, traditions of
certain agrarian rights have come down to
them. They love to talk Of tie good old days
when the chief owned the soil and allowed
the people to occupy it pretty much as they
pleased, 50 they furnished the proprietors
with the soldiers he wanted during war, and
supplied his family with the means of living.
many of the islands, something of the old
clan system prevails. An institution
similar to the Russian commune ex-
lists. 1t has no recognition in law,
and probably had its origin in tine
days that preceded the Norman conquest. As
in Russia and LapIand, the pasturage is used
in common, while the arabic land is parceled
out from time to time among the families by
0licers appointed by the people. The land
lord recognizes this ancient form Of comnu-
nifty and treats It as if it had a legal exist
ence. All admit that the institution, is too
old and sacred to be disturbed
The crofters and cotters are very poor
Their clothing is cheap and put together in
primitive fashion; their supply of food IL
generally scanty; their dwellings simply
huts composed Of rough stones or sticks, and
contain hardly any furniture. town
ordinarily has but one toerably good build
ing. That is the church. The striking of it,
bell at certain hours saves the expense of
clocks and watches. The minister is
alike preacher and teacher. We should nat
uraly expect that people thus situated
would be degraded, immoral AMI vicious.
But the people OF the highlands and the
neighboring isl 4nds are not. Crime is al
most unknown among them. The men
are industrious, temperate, ard brave.
The commissioners say of the women:
| MANY of them are beautiful-all are
chaste.n With all their poverty the people
are thoroughly loyal, and are obedient to
the laws of the country. They have shot no
landlords, blown up no jails destroyed no
property. leading man among them in
forincd the commissioners that during ali
the troubles they have endured there
was IA determination to have nothing
TO do with any plan that proposed to avert
suffering 10y SHINING" They have always
been reluctant to ask for all during seasons Of
scarcity. The condition OF the people in
some respects is becoming worse every year.
| Not only Engli,h but American millionaire
sportsmen have Leased large bodies of
land once devoted to pasturng cat
Tie and sheep, and converted them
INTO game preserves Red deer and
grouse Occupy the land that was for
merly common. One American has estab
| lished "A vast solitude once occupied by
hundreds of happy families. The rich men
| who come among them TO hunt every sport
ing 5, ason, and the large number of native
| and foreign travellers who visit the country
| 10 view the scenery, have shown the poo
| pie that there is higher civilization else
where.
There is evidently u general desire to do
something 10 alleviate the condition of peo-
pie who are worthy of a better fate. They
are like the good Indians IN this country.
They have received little consideration for
the reason that they have been peaceable
and uncomplaining Parliament has passed
no land act for their special advantage There
has been no scheme for assisted
emigration started for their benefit. Few
of the people have ever left the country in
quest of homes elsewhere. As rule they
have no disire TO leave their native land,
but are rs much attached TO their cold bar
rem country some women are TO drunken
and worthless husbands Still, they are be-
coming quite too numerous for the country,
while TIE country is being gradually taken
| from them and given to deer ana grouse.