The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-11-20
IRELAND AND THEIRISH.

Lecture mt Darlington by Rev. DR.. Fair.
Rev. DIR. Campbell Fair, of Baltimore, deliver
ed a very entertaining and instructive lecture on
Ireland, in the Town Hail. Darlington, Wednes-
day night.
Ireland, he said, is only about one-third larger
than Maryland and contains 5000 square miles
He described its political divisions, its physical
characteristics, &c. He had seen land In Ireland
that produced from to d tons of hay per acre .
but, as he explained, Ii Irish acres will make Is
here.
The climate of Ireland is very even. the tenn
perature never ling below 40 degrees in the
winter, or rising above 70 in the summer. 1t is
also very moist and in some parts in the west of
Ireland it is always raining.
The population in 1871 was 6S0 1000. In 1871 il
6,5l4,0O0 In 1881 it only 100000. In 60 years
it had fallen of three millions. How came this !?
country. In 1916 and lS47 the entire potato crop
throughout Ireland was blighted In single night.
Famine ensued. The Irish people became des-
pondent. Cholera swept down those who surviy-
ed the hard times of starvation. Those who re-
manned had no hope left in them and then set in
a tremendous emigration to this country
There was some good, however, in it ALL The
country had become so overcrowded that there
was not land enough to give an afiiuent support
to SO large population. Four or five acres of
bad land were expected to support IA or Is per-
sons, With population decreased by famine,
pestilence and emigration, the condition of those
who came to this country did not forget their
parents and during 20 years the sum of 1924 600
poured into the Irish people from their relatives
Ireland was benefited in another way. In for
mer days laborers were so plentiful that men
were glad to work in the fields for IL or even 10
cents day. With decrease of population labor
became scarce and almost as high as in this coun-
In Ireland there are 100000 Roman Catholics.
100000 Episcopaans, 497 900 Presbyterans 95 600
Methodists, a few Baptists a few Quakers. &c.
estants and in the south the majority are Roman
Catholics. The difference in the people Is mark
ed. In the north there is prosperity. industry,
ment. In the south the very opposite is the case
1t is believed by many that the government of
Ireland is harsh, tyrannica and brutal But re-
member that there is the same government for
England, Scotland and Wales as for ireland. The
English government differs very little, essential
The Irish land laws, he said, had caused great
agitation. He gave some of the leading points
of them.
In Ireland land is rented only for money con-
sideration. Poor land for so cents an acre and
good land at from SIS to $50 an acre.
The price of the land Is not fixed by the land
lord, but by court appointed by the govern
ment, the tenant selecting one of the yaluators
and the landlor another The rent can NJ t
If a tenant desires to leave he can bring to his
landlord substitute, whom the landlord must
accept If solvent. The tenant sells to the substi-
tute his unexpired term but the landlord gets no
more rent than was agreed upon.
If landlord wants to get rid of tenant he
must give him twelve months notice and must
pay him for all the bitches and fertilizers and
other improvements in the land for all the build
ngs ne has erected or improved. the fences gates
&c. he has put on the land and besides for dis
turbance." For instance If the yearly rental ia
500 and the lease has seven years to run, in adj
dtion to the other things the landlord must pay
his tenant 800.
If the tenant wishes to remain and has no means
of improving the land all he has to do is
to show his title deeds to the government which
will advance him money for 80 years, at per
cent, to erect houses, fences, &c. Is there any
hardship In that?
When laborers can not find employment the
government Immediately employs hundreds of
men to cut down hills, make canals, &c.
Ii people want to go to foreign lands the gov
eminent pays their expenses, sending whole
families to this and other countries.
When tenant gets in arrears with his rent no
applies to the court and the government pays
one-third of the debt the landlord is obliged to
release one-third and the tenant pays one-third
and gets receipt in full. The Irish are not fools
and they get in arrears very quickly. Far from
there being any grievance as regards tenants, the
grievance Is all the other way and to the tenants
advantage.
DR.. Fair contrasted the prices of things in Ire
land with prices in this country, and said that ar
ticles which are sold in this country for 81 could
be bought In Ireland for rs cents. Sewing ma
Chimes which cost here from $55 to $50, are sold
In Europe from SIS to $40. Workmen live more
comfortably In Ireland on ST. week than they
do here on 1880 to 50 day.
The lecturer wound up with a number of anec-
dotes. illustrating the shrewdness. quickness and
wit Of the Irish people. The lecture occupied
two hours in its delivery. but was listened to
with the greatest interest