Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-23

check the prosperity of the country.
Q.-What was the effect of the land and
Land Commissioner laws under Gladstone!
AIN many cases satisfactory; in Others
appeals were necessary. At first when the
Land Act was passed, the decisions of the
Commissioners gave new hope and life to
the country. But in time they changed;
reductions in rentals made began to grow
less. and it has been supposed this was due
to the influence of the landlord party with
the Government, and that a purposcful
official check was put upon leniency. The
cost of litigation before the Commission
was very large on both sides. There is
great necessity for some simpler and less
expensive method. If, twelve years ago,
the landlords had taken Griflilhs' valu-
alton as a basis, and have reduced on till
age lands, and where it was proper have
added in some cases to grass lands, such
country, and have abolished the spirit of
antagonism that grew up between the
tenant and the landlord.
Q.-Do you note that the Queen in her
address made no reference 10 home rule
for Ireland?
Ayes, but she speaks of County Board
reform, and all that, and l suppose that
means home rule will come by and by.
The Irish Parliamentary party cannot ae-
cept County Board reform as settle
ment of the question, at all. The fact or
admission by the Queen, of the necessity
for reform, admits the necessity for local
self government all over the country in
every shape and form. The most pros
porous time Ireland ever saw, was under
"Grattan's Native Irish Parliament" Up
to the time of Gladstone's Land Act, any
tenant farmer in Ireland who improved
his house or farm, or dressed his wife,
daughter or himself better that usual, was
Immediately pounced upon for an addition
to his rent by the landlord or his agent
Q.-Does destructionist, dynamite and
terrorizing element exist in Ireland, as
against England and Englishmen?
Al never met with it in my expert
esice.
Q-What was the element that stood be-
hind certain assassnations and assaults on
landlords and Crown officials?
A.-That could never be traced As far
as the public generally is concerned we
can't tell. We know there is no sympathy
in ireland among the people for this ele-
ment. The Irish are taught to abhor VOL
ence. The Church puts its seal on it. |
suppose you have destructionist element
here, threatening and doing, but no one
charges it to your people. Such an ele-
ment never was more than Insignificant
with us, and think it is about all wiped
out by this time. Ali that matter of VOL
ence is puzzling to our people. We don't
like to charge the Government with foster
ing it. but certainly the acts of the con-
stabularly and officials has looked as if
intended to awaken the spirit of violence
Certainly the Irish people are not properly
chargeable with the acts of the few mis-
guided ones.
Q.-How about boycotting?
A.-Well, it has never been as extensive
as represented. 1t never was an Irish IN
stitution. An American introduced it. 1t
was applied for time, but it is;little known
now. Boycotting, in one form or another,
has existed in all countries, It is seen
everywhere in society. 1t is as old as civil
ization. IT simply is manifest at some
| times more vigorously than at others As
applied in Ireland, it related to landlords
who were oppressive; but that existed only
for shor5time. A great deal more has
been madesof it than there was any war
rant for. Wherever have travelled have
found boycotting in trade, professions
and all forms of society. 1t las had some
prominencekin England and ireland, be-
cause we have several grades of society, but
| II has not b,sen nearly so great factor as
you have been led to believe If, under
Providence The Irish tenant farmers could
only own the lands they occupy, as it is in
France, then all would tend to unity and
strength and Prosperity
Q.-But some people tell Us here that if
that Were don,.your Irish small farmer is
improvident, vrasteful, not given by taste
to soil cultivation. and preferring rather
ease and indohnce TO neatness and the
profits of labor On the soil.
Al deny it it is false and malicious
statement. If you were in the country /
would prove it TO you. Even under the
| Gladstone Act great improvement was
made Our Irish tenants have as high an
ambition to be neat, and to have neat
homes and purss. and home comforts as
any people on sarth. Even now, under
such concessions as have been made, our
people have seized upon the opportunity to
| improve their surroundings Our peasantry
are industrious. You'd be astonished to
see how they manage to save money for
home comforts, and win living from
stubborn soil. There is no more virtuous
| people on Gods earth than the Irish at
home. Cleanliness is next to godliness
and they are taught it. But if the poor
man has but a shilling to use he can't put
| up a pig-sty that costs ten.