Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-25
mr. QnkENs MRlr ~ sKrr.
why m. croiiers Went 20 ih. verrc OF
N,hoif,au

-
7HE QUEENS WIT IN SKYE.
Why bs rroifcrs Went 20 The ycrrc q
Eeheiffan.
London letter SAYS: All through Ia,
week the news IRON the remote northwest
OF scotland has reflected state Of aiaifs
which II would be dinicul: 10 describe hy
any other name than civil War. Manp
hundreds OF rcsOitiie men haze been sleep.
ING, 80 10 speak, on their arms, ready fDr a
fight which they were determined % make,
aud their mcetiDgs. opened invariably ny
prayers IN Gaelic from sympathi1ine
clergyman, have been notable Tor ilie
unanhn!.y Of their expressions Of willing
ncss 10 mfct the issue thew bad raised.
Allies had fioeked 10 their assistance from
Lewis aud Null, and from the mainland.
On the other hand, Tie Government bias
mustered great force Of marines, constab.
ulary, and soldiers to see that " the Queens
writ runs ~ Skye" and trooprships have
been sen: around 10 Stromc Ferry 10 trans
port these forces 10 the scene of action. Up
10 to-day u has seemed inevitable tint there
should ID I collision. and bloody one.
To-day II IL said tia. the advice OF minis
tiers of The Gospel and members OF Parlia-
meni in whom they have confidence has
been finally accepted by the crOflcIS, and
that when the troops land tomorrow or
next day 10 enforce the esictions aud make
the Ordered srrrst., none but passive re-
sisfance viii ic offered. Hut The crisis in
The Highlands VIII only be- postponed bv
this peaceful dcci>iOD--ani. unless relief
and reform come soon, only postponed 20
gather new force and fire for worse out
bI aak.
Those who only know the Western
Islands from "a Princes of Thule " and
- Madcap Violet " will be surprised 10
learn that there is, mile far mile. more
genuine distress among the poor there
than cen be found in Conemara or on the
bleak Kerry coast. The huis are poorer,
the food even more scanty. and The law of
eyictiOns far more meicilcss. The parallel
" ith Ireland Il not an exact one. how
ever. for both the past aud present cOnGi-
tons OF the two countries differ widely.
IN ireland the poor tenants have been
ground under the heel of landlords, atien
20 them IN race and religion. for centuries.
In the Highlands the dpprcssOrs arc the
heads Of ancient Scottish families, and II
il only within recent years. within the last
century at any rate. that they have turned
in hostility upon their own clansmen. IL
IL true that the elan system. in the old
sense, came 90 an end soon after the coli
lapse Of the last preiender uprising N l1lj.
But the more admirable phases o! The old
system. with fcaliy 10 the chief frOm one
side and protecting loyalty from tue
other. Iasi d generally throughout the
north until after Waterloo. Long before
dis time British law had transformed the
Highland chief, who held suzerainty over
he lands of his elan in trust for The whole
tribe. into landlord IN his own right. but
il was not until the age Of the Steamboat,
telegraph. and locomotive, that the chiefs
began 10 fake advantage Of this change.
" thin the past forty year, these landlords
u newer generations have entirely lost
sight OF the historic claims which the
naiiye population Of these islands have
In common With themselves. The Duke
OF Argyll. for example, writes over his
own signature In the Times that It Is ride
ulous to charge him with mcJnncss in
eyicting his clansmcn crolters from their
ancient holdings. and driving them of his
islands when he can add to the reDt-valuo
OF the islands 10y so doing. II is purely
matter OF business, be says. and he II no
more 10 be attacked for doing what he
merciai life. He does not see, his class do
rot s,e, that when he thus coolly re-
pudiates all responsibilities In pay for
his position aud possessions, every
wold he uiters raises up score
OF AIRY Liberals eager TO call into
question his right 10 either. These poor
croftcrs have year 10y year been forced OF
the good land and ON TO the barren rocks
Of the coast. A. the moIe progressive
south learned improved methods OF agri-
edlture the landlords have made big
farms by disp0sscSsing small holders, md
let these To English or LOwland capital
ISIS. Even the common grazing ground,
which In the old days belonged 10 the
whole elan for pasturage. has been swept
away now hy the landlords and fenced in
along with the farms. This stealing OF
commons is not 4 rare thing IN England.
Many thousands Of acres which century
or two centuries ago belonged 20 the whole
village l. safely classified now with the in.
aicnable property Of the wealthy English
mobiles, and by no better right than that OF
powerful greed. But in the Highlands,
where properly in common had been
n legal fact within The memory OF the
fathers Of men now living. this Is far
greater hardship than In England, where
il has hardly been more than tradition
SINCE the fall Of the mOnasteries. In this
Island OF skye. where al last the croiteIs
tave been goadcd beyond even their great
patience, between the years 1870 and 1888
there were issued DEGREES OF eviction to
d, 800 heads Of families, embracing nearly
or quite 10000 persons. This Is twice the
total ,umber OF inhabitants OF the island,
so thai IL amounts 10 every man, woman,
and child having been twice ordered 10
move within the past iorty-!our years. In
few cascs--scarceiy worth mentioning in
proportion was the excuse one OF failure
to pay rent. The crofters are M In-
dustrious, thrifty class, and they now
Day rent equivalent To the highest
farm-rcDis in England for the miser-
able privilege Of living on the barren
sea-coasl- rents even higher in proper
ton that The great factors pay Tor the
big farms which monopolize the good lana
OF the island. The great lords do not want
them TO stay, no matter what they pay. On
the island OF Three. which Is wholly the
property of the Duke of Argyll. there were
In 1855, when hc succeeded to the title and
estates. about 5000 inhabitants. There are
now =, Ic0, au0 of these 100 are landless In
four townships alone. The difference be-
tween tie figures represents the number
who have been improved of, driven 10
America or Australia o. death. TO enable hts
Grace 10 add ESQ or $40 year TO bis in-
come Of scores OF thousands. Yet he Is q
| phIlanthronis,, as his order goes. and re-
\ former
The crof,els who viii not be improved
of, and who cling 10 The idea that the claus
, whose devotion made these Campbelis aud
Doug,asses aud Gordons mobiles, aud gave
them the use OF land which they have nov
seized n their own, have IS much right
10 live near the graves Of their fathers as
ba,e the duke ana msrquises aud esrls,
have no standing now In law. Relief has
been promised 20 them by Mr.. Gladstone.
but s0 Il has been To Gordon, sud he
viii die before II reaches him. II he is
not dead now. But at the next general
election more taan one inember chosen dis
tinctly upon the issue Of erofters' rights
will come down TO the Commons from the
Highlands 10 make ceIamon cause With the
Home Rulers Of Ireland against Lnd monop-
olies. As II is only by agitation, persistent
and ugly, that any cause gets any hearing
or favor In The House Of Commons, The
success 81 the crofters win be measured by
the smount OF trouble their representatives
eau make for the Government.
Picard one Democrat say to another !: