The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-03
An Able Address Upon This
Subject by Mr.. F. w.
Hankey. -,
Warned That America is Inviting
the Viper Which Stang
Ireland. 1919
The Only Just Title to Land in Any
Country is Occupancy and Pro-
ductiTe Use.

The pending consideration of the.land
question has developed a new feature o.
social science. 1t is the liberty of thought
The nineteenth century, progressive in
civilization, prolific of invention, full oi
political and social mutations, has taught
mankind that those who toll may also
think. TIE struggle has commenced
and 40 man can avoid the responsibility
of placing himself on record in the social
problems of the times, The question Of
ownership fland is but one wing of the
great structure, the architectural design
of which engages the serious attention
of mankind. In considering this ques-
ton will first ask your leave to touch
the present land tenure in Ireland. Its
evil consequences, while due somewhat
to special causes, are 80 generally signif-
can't of the tendency of large landed
estates that the problem is by no means
local. I cannot consider the land ques-
ton as based on any peculiar system,
for believe the whole theory wrong in
principle, but there are features of the
question peculiar to Ireland and not
now developed in other countries. AS a
basis for our view it may be we'll to as,
certain the reason why Irish soil has
hegotten suffering for its people.
During the three centuries that fol
lowed the introduction of Christianity
Ireland was the center of scholastic en-
terprise in Western Europe In these
years the land was owned by natives,
and abundant thrift characterized the
condition of the people. 1t may be as
serted as a proposition dific1lt to deny
that as long as the land in country is
divided among the actual settlers who
inhabit it, the prosperity add happiness
of that country will steadily increa> >e.
To this fact, in my Judgment, was due
the wonderful intelligence and progress
in that era of Irish history just adverted
to.
With the decay of the common lights
and privileges of the people and the di-
vision of the land among foreign in
vaders and domestic traitors, began the
misery of that down. .trodden people.
About the year 1900 dlsintegration be-
gan, and sub-kings split up the central
lied nationality of the country. Each
little prince fought for his own land,
and in those reckless and exhaustiug
contests the soil was bathed in blood
and became destin ed to pass out of the
control of the people. From nearly 800
to ITO the incursions of the fierce North
men &nd Danes continued to dlsorganize
and wreck the country. About the only
exception during this period was bril-
liant interval of a short time under
Brian the First. Finally one of the
princes applied to Henry the Second of
England for help, and from the merce-
nary Norman English knights it was
provided. This continued to stir up
strife, to paralyze the industries of the
land and to cut the soil into bare frag-
ments, held by contesting occupants,
When all trace of centralized power was
thus departed from Ireland, Henry the
Second was called upon, ostensiblv to
restore order in that country.
Tie power of the Anglo-Normans was
gradually pushed until about the close
of the sixteenth century, when Irish
sovereignty tacitly surrendered to En-
glish rule under James the First. From
this time dated the slavery of the Irish
people. The soil of the country was de-
clared forfeited by the existing owners,
and was parceled out among the SOL
diery of Cromwell and William, while
the native gentry were banished and
prescribed, and the genera body of the
people reduced to condition little short
of outawrv. Under what was known
as the penal code, for about IS years sue
ceeding 100, the bulk Of the people
were forbidden to educate their children
to carry arms, to learn a trade or to
hold pre- perty.
This condition of affairs necessarily
resulted in the ignorance and poverty
of the people. Their soil was absorbed
by the greed of foreign despots; their
children denied all privileges, and they
were compelled to exc out such miser-
able existence as they could. 1t is in
deed no matter of surprise that they
were unable to throw off the yoke ol
thraldom, or to devise means for over
coming their troubles. A country peo-
pied with human beings sufficient to
utilize every inch of its territory abso
lutely deprived of all ownership in its
soil, could little more than succumb tc
the inevitable and bear the grievous
burdens that were imposed upon them
with only such brief intervals of desper'
.ation as characterized ths outburstings
that occasionally cost the invaders dear
and let out the blood of the martyrs oi
that land.
The Irish people could find no solu'
ton of the calamity that sat upon them
The few in their midst who had the ben
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