The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-30
THE CASE OF THE CROFTERS.
An Ignorant People the Slaves Of Supersti.
tion-A Remedy Suggested for Their
Distress.

| Distress.
| We are within a measurable distance
of the time when the banner of "Nu
Rent" will be raised in almost every
corner of the western Highlands, writes
correspondent to The 50. James Ga
zette, and, look upon the matter as we
may, it is impossible 70 avoid the con-
| clusion that the land question is rapidly
assuming in Scotland more formidable
proportions than it has ever reached
in Ireland. By many signs we know
that the disaffection has spread widely
since the troop-ship Assistance and
her consorts first appeared off the
coast of Skye a month ago. Then
there was few flickering sparks in
Trotternish and Duirinish; now all the
Hebrides are smoldering, and blaze
may break out at any moment. The
time has come when the causes and the
remedies of the present state of affairs
must be seriously inquired into. On
the one hand, it is intolerable that the
law should be set at defiance; on the
other, it is impossible, in my opinion,
that the condition of the crofters should
remain unameliorated.
manifold. Most of the crofters with
whom 1 have spoken include these
among the grievances of themselves
and their fellows: inability of the ten
ant to obtain from the landlord suffi-
cient good land to keep family in po-
tatoes and breadstuffs; tyranny and
corruption on the part of the factor or
ground man; usurpation by the land
lord of pasture and forest to which the
crofters have common right; loose
ness of tenure; lack of facilities for
fishing; bad land; bad seasons; and
poverty, that renders impossible the
carrying out of improvements. To
these complaints few crofters here
and there add overrent; for my own
part, feel bound to specify, as other
contrlbutories to the misery that so
largely prevails throughout the is
lands, idleness, ignorance. and super
stition. The charge of idleness is one
which may possibly be regarded with
suspicion by those who have only seen
the brawny men of Harris and Skye
fishing on the east coast or working in
the ship-yards of Glasgow. 1t is not
abroad that these fellows are lazy; and
l dare say they are often idle at home
merely because their small crofts do
not bring sufficient work to their doors.
Nevertheless, when last month, Loeb
Snizort and Loeb Pooltiel were full of
herring and ling, | more than once
saw all the fishing-boats of Uig and
Hamera lying anchored and unnamed
close in shore. 1t can not, in short, be
dop;od tbof uorr manu- off fba Echipo
crofters are habitually idle, or very
nearly SO, during half the year; and, of
course, this idleness renders them dis
contented as well as poor. Their igno-
rance accounts for the extraordinary
prejudice with which they look upon
policeman. They really imagine that
his presence amongst them is refec-
ton upon their honesty. Until
lately" said John Mcleod, the Uig
leader to me, public sentiment was
The only force that was considered to
be needful here. Popular feeling ex-
oelled bad characters from the commu-
lity and gave up offenders to justice,
Is personified by the village constable;
md the crofters think that the appear
lnce in their midst of additional
police proves that Skye men are
egarded with distrust." These
words show how the patriarchal
dea still survives in the breasts of the
SANDERS. AS for the superstitions of
he people, they are well nigh incredi-
lie. Early in the seventeenth century
man named Coinneach Odhar, who
vas born at Zig, in Lewis, made him
elf notorious as patriotic prophet,
nd has become widely known in the
highlands as the Brahan seer, because
@ once uttered some words which
ave since been twisted into predic-
ion of the piercing of the Caledonian
anal. Every cotter and crofter in the
Iebrides pins his faith to Kenneth's
redictions. He implicitly believes
nat, as the seer prophesied, the Lewis
len shall one day drive the Lowland-
RS across the Tweed and 1 am con-
dent that this ridiculous article of be-
eff is responsible TO far greater ex- I
mt than can readily be imagined for I
10 attitude which the islanders have
late assumed. That the disaffection
as now shown itself in the birthplace
the seer IS not a good omen. The
nglIsh agitators who are secretly
recting the movements of these un-
people may yet discover
at they have set in motion a force
ey are powerless to control.
Before remedies can be applied the
W must, of course, be vindicated. 1t ;
not too early, however, to bethink .
lrselves for the treatment that ought
be adopted. There is probably no
an better qualified to speak on this
bjcct than Mr.. Regiald Mcleod, who Z.
pes to represent Invernesshire in r
rliament ere long. He is at once a !.
otsman, tory, Skye landlord, o,
d crofter's friend. He admits that | T
ievances such as | have catalogued
exist; and he urges that influence
ould be brought to bear upon the
oprietors to make them break up ''
Dir large farms and divide them Of
long the crofters who are in want of v,
I'd. He also advocates the granting IL
government loans to orofters who tt
J desirous of stocking patches, and ct
re are certainly some landlords who d,
uld be willing to guarantee the re- til
7ment of the small sums that would to