The Indianapolis journal., 1885-02-06
IRELAND. HER WRONGS AND FER FOES

The sympathy OF the civilized world is with
the suffering inhabitants of Ireland in their
efforts to obtain such measures of reform as
shall afford them greater justice, and lift them
from the bogs of poverty in which they have
so long houndered. Their social and political
condition has been bettered somewhat, but
more concessions are needed to put them in
possession of what would seem their very nat
ural rights. The curse of absenteeism has
long rested heavily upon the agriculturists of
that country. With millions of dollars an
nually withdrawn from Ireland and invested
in England or elsewhere, the people could not
keep from being poverty-stricken. Let the
lands of Indiana be owned by Ohio or New
York capitalists, and the arbitrary rental an
nually drawn off to build up manufactures in
other States, and it is easy to see how soon
distress and want would take hold Of the peo-
pie. Couple to this the more hateful fact that
Irish laws are formulated in England and ad-
ministered by Englishmen, and the secret of
Irish discomfort is apparent enough 1t
is not sufficient that Irish members
are admitted to the House of Commons, and
that nominally Irish peers sit in the House of
Lords The local laws of Ireland should be
drawn in the rooms now occupied by the Bank
of Ireland, Dublin, and should be admins
rered by Irishmen. The aim should be to
give Ireland every chance to demonstrate her
ability to rule within herself, subject, of
course to the superior power Of Great Britain,
AN integral portion of which she will probably
ever remain. This could hardly be danger
Gus experiment, since the legislation of the
Irish Parliament, or Congress, would be con-
fined to internal affairs only. The power of
coercion would remain where it is, in the
grip of which the people of the island would
be helpless. 1t would seem but good policy
to accord the right of local self government to
that people, and thus enlist their sympathy in
national affairs and forever put a stop to the
unending stream of complaint that comes from
them.
Some such concession would be easy enough
but for the interests of Irish landlords, or
English lords of Irish estates, who, residing in
England, very naturally hesitate to put their
lands under distinctly Irish control. These
men practically control the Lords, and,
naturally, sympathy sways the lower House
i'll the same direction. The law of primogeni-
ture is the curse of Ireland and England alike
Land monopoly in kingdom where land is
all too scarce can but be subversye of the
rights of the laboring classes. The impossi-
bility of becoming their own masters effectu-
ally precludes the possibility Of delivering
themselves from thralldom akin to that of
sers. The head of family that rents plat
of ground for cultivation can never hope to
own it. There is no incentive for him to inn
prove it, for, as soon as he does, it becomes
more valuable, and the rent is raised forth
with, thus increasing the humble farmers
burdens. The injustice of persevering in
this course IS apparent to every unprejudiced
form would eventually be worked out, if but
wise and prudent course be pursued.
The one great obstacle in the way of this
worthy object, aside from the inherent and
hereditary selfshness of Irish landlords, are
the few murderous scoundrels who have set
themselves up as the champions Of Ireland.
But for these and their abominabie acts of
cruelty, the world might reasonably hope to
see the proper concessions made. The sooner
the whole pack is beaten off, or otherwise
summarily disposed of and put out of the
way, the sooner will Irish people be relieved
of an incubus that has for years kept them
bowed under the yoke of injustice and op-
preston. The men now in the forefront of
the Irish movement, no matter how they got
there, are professional thugs and assassins.
Nothing will satisfy them that does not di-
rectly inure to their benefit. In other words,
they are on the make almost to man. In
stead of attracting sympathy and help, they
repel both, for few honest men can be deceived
into aiding and abetting organized assassna-
ton. The dynamiter and assassin will never
be able to lead the Irish people out of the
troubles that have so long beset them
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ON the 18th of January, in an interview,
Mr. Patten, of Sullivan, said:
IT IT..