Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-14
From the OAieaoo Neaos.

MS WlgNam," EalQ beaumont; II nave
seen the negro in his chains, but the con-
dltion of the Irish tenant is worse than
that of either the savage or the slave" II
these gentlemen could walk through the
southern counties of Ireland to-day their
language would be stronger rather than
weaker. | never imagined that such mis-
cry reigned upon the face of earth. 1t is
disgrace to any government, burning
shame TO modern civilization.
And yet it is not the poverty OF despair
and melancholy gloom. The people tread
the via dolorosa with a buoyancy or spirit
and light-heartedness which is marvel
Gus. While you weep they laugh. One
10 fairly shocked that the chief mourners
wear not the "trapplngs and the weeds OF
Woe" Although the late elections have
had depressing effect, and the majority
in the south of Ireland are bitterly disap-
pointed, vet they are still hopeful and be-
lieve that their two great apostles, mr..
Gladstone and Parnell, will somehow be
successful in pouring oil upon the
troubled waters of discomfort. l met John
DAILY, "A painter, standing idly upon the
street corner in the city OF Cork.
"Where have you been at work" l
asked, ''and what wages have you been
receivingW
sIn Tralee," ne replied, ''for shillings
a week: some worked for shillings
week. Win Only LWO a
{ skim milk and potatoes,
"Upon Lord LAstowel's estate up here
in Cork" continued Mr.. DAILY, 'men with
families think themselves fortunateto re-
ceive I shillines per week, although they
must pay pack So per year for the cot
tages in which they live"
"Well," remarked, "you do not seem
to feel badly"
"Och. sure" said he, "whats the good
o that? A pound o. sorrow never paid
an ounce o. debt"
/ do not mean TO imply that the Irish
man makes the best OF bis condition prac-
tically ''and has heart for any fate"
On the contrary, there is certain shit
lessness in his poverty. The degradation
and reVerses of centuries seem to have
paralyzed his energies, and lethargy
possesses HIM which can only be shaken
off by the pillows OF that sea which bears
him to some foreign shore. ldlenes5 Is
the habit of the country.
Patrick sits still in the house while the
rain pours in torrents through the straw
! matched roof, "Why in the world don't
you fix the roof, Patn Faith, begOrra,"
says he, II would not like to go out in the
wet" When the shower has passed he
still sits in the bowel and offers the eX-
| cuse, "Och, sure its not raining nowV
| He is surrounded by so many soldiers,
]
that labor seems degrading in his eyes,
while across the deep he soon catches the
| spirit of American enterprise and be-
! comes new man.
There was one word which l could see
| written all over southern Ireland, in the
railway cars, on the tamished faces of the
| beggars who thrOnged us at Queenstown
| harbor, In the squalid homes of country
! peasants, through the narrow alleys OF
I Aiue,r 10 tn nal
word-pOverty, poverty But l fancied
! could see another word, in raised letters
! eVerYw here, in Cork, in Kerry, IN Tippe-
rary, upon the blooming, healtbful brow
| of youth, In the erect ana buOyant form of
| age, upon the plump, rosy cheek of bank
! er's clerk and peasants child, one word
! in shining Extraordinarily Thank God
| for this redeemlng feature-DuoIln is not
! Paris!
Castle Island, in the County of Kerry,
! famous for its evictions and violence,
presents a picture OF indescribable
| Wretchedness. There is not a decent
building OF any description. although it
has 5000 souls. Every other man has
either been shot or has been shooting
some one else. They showed me the exact
spot where Mr.. Herbert fell dead in bis
| tracks while returning home from a court
! OF Justice in broad daylight. / saw the
farmhouse where John Curtain fred into
band OF moonlighters who came de-
! mandinC fire arms, and then was shot
dead himself. Mr.. Curtain was an hon.
! est farmer who did not believe In deeds of
! lawlessness.
met John Collins, a grocer who lives
across the street from the parish church
of Curro. He referred to constant depre-
datiOns at the hands of outlaws and rob-
bers. A masked band had just entered
the hovel of poor man and took the &5
Ds. which he had just received for little
! butter, with which he was TO meet the
landlords claim. MIR. Collins assured
me that the same man was so destitute
that the previous day he had sent down
one-half dozen eggs to have them ex-
changed for meal.
| found nv own uncle evicted from a
small holding, because the butter which
he could sell few years ago for t5
would now bring only fl los. Quite re-
Gently it would bring twice what it does
now. 1t is difficult for an absentee land
lord to understand why people cannot pay
the same rent as formerly.
The most hard worked and competent
servant girl at Castle Island will receive
z los. for three months toll. l CHANGED
to meet the constable and land agent at
John Galwav's farm. The officers had
mistaken July 10 Tor Aug. 10. when the
six months for redemption will have ex-
/ pired, and, without settlement, Mr.
! Galway will be turned into the streets
and his house leveled to the ground
When the officers of the law had retired
and sat down to drink his bowl of new
milk and share his kind and generous
hospitality, he said: "My family have
lived here for 100 years, but with the pres.
ent bad prices it will be impossible to pay
the rent without an abatement"
| stood upon the threshold Of Michael
Teahan's howell, but could not enter, fol-
they feared lest | were some magistrate
or policeman. / learned from one of Mr.
Teahan's neghbors that he is a laborer
ont of employment because he refused d
attend evictions and the pulling down Of
houses which had been evicted. There
fore he lost his situation and lives with
and by few hens and pigs.
such wretchedness | never before saw
The novels are more like the lairs of wild
beasts than the abodes OF human beings
When YOU behold such travesty upon
civilization, such n paradox OF human
existence. all ecclesiastical and civil
oues,iona of church and state are over
whelmud by thrObbing, surging sense OF
svmnathetic brotherhood with such dire
calamity, aud you eXclsim, How long,
oh. Lord; how long, shall this endure
Poverty in the midst OF the greatest fer.
tiliryl starvation in the midst of the
largest resourcesl Men may differ as tc
the causes, as TO the remedy; but facts
i .N.aA g.