Morris tribune., 1886-11-10
A BOSTONIAN IN IRELAND.
MI. A: shnman's Impressions Of the Country
and its People.

Mr.. A. Shunan, we'll known as one
of our leading fnerchantsi id the cloth
ing business, has spent the summer
abroad. During his trip he made an
especial suudy of Irish matters; and
the result of his observation was late
ly printed in the Pilot. His views are
ofinterest and value. He said: 'Ire-
land, as viewed from an American
standpoint, is perfect revelation;
instead of finding a poor looking
country, it impressed us as marvellous
ly beautiful. One cannot help having
favorable opinion of the county as
he enters Queenstown harbor with its
green shores, a harbor that is shelter
ed on all but the western side, and is
roomy enough for the combined navles
of the world to ride at anchor in"
"Do the people appear to be poor?'
GAS we spent our time principally In
the southern part of Ireland, we can
only speak of that section, and while
we found, in an evening stroll through
Cork, here and there people applying
for charity, and also in passing
| through the Gap of Dunloe, we were
besieged by hundreds of beggars land
here it seems to be more professional
than from actual necessity, yet, on
the whole, the masses did not appear
to us in that extremity of poverty we
had been led to suppose. In our con-
versation with the people generally,
about the condition of the inhabl-
tants. we were told there was a great
deal of poverty and suffering through
the country, and when we asked why,
the reply was: we don't own the
lands; the landlords advance the rents
as fast as we make Improvements
and when unable to make it profit
able at the advanced prices, or pay
the required rent, we are evicted from
the farms, so that the average farmer
becomes disheartened, and rather than
work and make improvements for
some one else, becomes an ldler and
consequent sufferer We were impress
ed with this fact as, travelling through
the country, we saw vast tracts Of
country unoccupied, with here and
there d castle, though many miles
apart. On visiting Blarney Castle,
about six miles out of Cork, the resi-
dence of the owner, Sir George st.
John Colthurst, was pointed out to
us and we were told that it cost f47,-
OUO, or about 100000, to build, and
had not been occupied for three years.
the proprietor living in Paris during
that time; and the great estate is ly-
ing idle and uncultivated, except in
the immediate grounds about the
house, cared for by hired farmer.
"On our ride to Blarney in an Irish
iaunting car with its seats facing out
ward, we found thatched roof cottages
in abundance, whose exteriors and
surroundings appeared extremely
clean. They looked as if all was new
~ whitewashed, and as If g. friendly
rivalry existed among neighbors as to
who should have the neatest and
whitest dwelling"
"Was there any enterprise or trader"
SIN the large cities that we visited,
especially Dublin, Cork and Belfast,
there was a general air of thrift and
enterprise, we'll dressed and healthy
population, fine retail stores, we'll DIS
played wares, with dash of shrewd-
ness on the part of the attendants
that confirmed the impression that
Irish statesmen are considered among
the best if not the best in the United
Kingdom"
"How did the peoples spirit strike
your"
1--WE found the people very hopeful
and imbued with the one idea upper
most in their minds, and that is if
they f9Hld, haYs . hoHa r9lP thftif Iii, o le
soil for themselves, they would be as
happy and prosperous as any people
could be on the face of the globe"
What do you think of the national
struggled"
II think the idea of home rule is the
leading purpose and hopein the hearts
of the Irish people, and that the strug'
gle will 60 on until its success is as
sured. The woman in Queenstown,
the porter in Cork, and the shopkeep-
er in Dublin, with whom we talked,
were all of one accord: Give us home
rule, let us take care of our own af-
fairs, and we will get along and ask no
favor.'~' It was p our pleasure
to have lengthy conversation
with Hon. T. D. Sullivan, lord
mayor of Dublin, a highly intelli-
gent and thoroughly well-informed gem
tleman. and he was confident that it
was only a question of time when
home rule would be established. Dur
ing our Journey we fell in with an
Irish Protestant clergyman; he even
- to hI1f
only feared that the Catholics, being
largely in the majority, would, in event
of national success, Cypress the Prot
estants; and when we pointed to the
fact that in the United States all creeds
and doctrines fourished under the
same government, and that patriot
ism for Ireland should overcome re-
liglous prejudice, especially as Parnell
and other leaders are themselves Prot
estants, he finally admitted the hope
fulness of self-government in Ireland"
"Were you impressed by the beauty
or natural richness of the country
Gas you travel through the country
you are at once impressed by the
beautiful green and fertile lands that
can be seen on all sides, as far as the
eye can reach. The beautiful charac-
teristic scenery of Ireland cannot be
realized without seeing it. The moist
ure of the climate seems to beparticu-
larly favorable to growth and vegeta-
ton, giving the thick, green turf lux
urious and velvety appearance and q
rich color rarely seen Ill any other
place. In fact, you hardly see fence
or stone but is clad with verdure. 1t
seems as if all that is necessary, in
stead of putting premium upon idle
ness blythe present system ofevlction, is
to encourage the tilling of the soil, which
appears rich enough, if properly culti-
waited, to support more than Jour or
five times the number of inhabitants
that now dwell IN the section of the
country We passed through. Every
where we saw green fields and lovely
dales and vast acres of land, where
vegetation flourished in wild luxuri-
ance, covered with that beautiful tint
which gives the land its just and ia
miliar name, The Emerald Isle