The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-09

\ AN Y. u AIRY & Y 8, 1886.
a realized they were men of national im
|portance. In one instance the voter
i failed us, and that was in Sutherland
n shire famous or rather infamous 70
] its crnelties to the crofters. 1T wa
q here that whole villages we're burned Il
the ground in winter and the peOpl'
Ileft desolate. Many of US looked t,
Sutherland with hope. A crofter'
son, Sutherland by name, had takel
4 upon him to contest the seat agains
1 the Dukes son, the Marquis OF Stat
ford. But, loI a marvel. The Marquis
was ready 7tos promise anything ant
Everything that crofters could ask.
Did they wish for the famous three
acres and a GOVT he would giVesit
[ssMore land9'' Yes. Fixity of ten
nre ?'' Yes. ..Compensatio for I'M
/ provements ~ IS. By such omises
he won over some Of the leaders among
the crofters, and as a conseqtie The
crofter candidate was left far ehlnd--
Ea defeat which staggered many of sus
land naate tls fear the Highlanders were
tsaS yortll citing for. Better news
E.Sx He saon. Z our readers Will remem-
fffbsr ffb al how much time and labor I spent
with Mr.. MacfaTlane last summer seek
| ing his election for Argyll. The result
! has been most gratifying, and now
from Argyll and Inverness and Ross
and Cromalty and Caithness and Wick
am able to send the joyful news that
| the Highlanders have proved them
selves worthy of freedom. Let Amer
lean readers note the fact that no out
RACES have been committed, not one Of
the candidates have been insulted. In
England's S good old times, as they are
called, when a candidate was OH the
hustings, if unpopular he had TO face
showers Of dead cats. rotten eggs. old
boots, and the like. But the Highland
ers are the most polite peasantry of
Europe, and their behavior has again
commended them to the good will Of
the whole Nation. No wonder the
question is now asked by some OF us
with much perplexity: How can We
solve the land question for the crofters9
Ihave before me letter from one of
the greatest orators in Parliament, q
true friend Of the people, one whose
name America respects most highly,
and yet he says: II cannot see any so-
luton for the difficulty except emigra
tion.'' Someof the best friends OF the
crofters say the same, and no doubt
America would gladly give + EN- a
welcome. But here is a land to which
the people cling with tenacity Of love
unsurpassed. When compelled to emil
CRATE they have been known toslift
5hapdfuls Of earth and pebb branches
of trees, and the like, to carry them
over the sea as5mementoes OF the dear
md. One solution, and one alone,
sgs,.. 10 ksand ttat ia the gradual acqQir-
ing of the land by the state. a strug-
gle is beginning of the most stupendons
In Ireland the form il
takes is that of Home Rule. The Irish
wish to drive out the English alto.
gether so that they can by that means
get back the soil. But the Scotch do
not seek any repeal Of the Union. Yet
at the same time the most advanced
views prevail III the Highlands on the
land question. What contrast to the
lowlaDds of Scotland, and to England,
where the land restoration candidates
had hardly any chancel Most Of them
were left in a hopeless minority. What
will the end be2 Our Parliament on
assembling next month will find a
deadlock Salisbury facing Gladstone,
and Parnell is the big boy of the school
who can knock either of them down.
After short session there will soon be
another election with some great issues
before the Nation. So the turmoil will
90 on and on. We are amid quiet
revolution. Old parties are vanishing,
and nobody knows what the new will
be like. Some time soon I shall tell
the signs of a coming Republic for
Britain, aud the signs Of the times in
that direction are startling.
u u y ~