The Irish standard., 1888-08-11
GLANCE AT IRELAND.
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A GLANCE AL IRELAND.
[Continued from First Page.l
draped their hats, and pinned conspicu-
ously to the badges Of mourning were
green cards bearing the words, ''Mitch-
eistown will remember John Mande-
Vile, our first Tullamore martyr" The
end has not been heard of Mandeville's
| murder, as the Irish do not hesitate to
call it. by the Tory government. 1t is
to be used with ringing effect among
the constituencies of England.
Vaudeville was only one Of many
conspicuous Irish patriots who have
lately been imprisoned and cruelty
treated under the crimes act, as all
Americans are aware. Some 20 MEM
bers of Parliament have lately served
their terms, On wholly frivolous charges,
their crimes being speech making at
public meetings, or the publication Of
ordinary news reports of forbidden
league meetings. Nearly all the prom
inent editors Of Ireland are in Parlia-
ment, and the government has been
trying in vain to prevent their papers
from serving the popular cause. These
political offenders are treated in prison
with a harshness that the most hardened
felon never knows in an American
prison. They come out heroes, though
in many cases badly used up physically.
We have talked with many witnesses,
and are in no doubt about the facts.
This persecution is as stupid and futile
81 policy as was ever pursued ny any
tyrant. It is inevitably arousing tho
spirit Of England
But must bring this letter to an
ending. I have only limited at some Of
the things we have observed. Ireland is
doing nothing but waiting for chance
to improve. The land is imperfectly
titled, and no one has any heart to
make improvements under the existing
regime. We go to considerable towns
like Fermoy, Mitchelsyille, Mallow,
Killarney, Tralee, and many more, and
find places Of from 5000 to 10000 people
with no industries whatever to give
employment, and with large elements
OF TIE population living in huts in the
most abject poverty l have eyer seen.
The large towns, like Cork and Lime
rick are languishing. 1t might be safe
to say that there is not good building
in process of construction in any city
On the island belfast and the extreme
north being excepted); and in all the
southern cities warehouses, mills and
other establishments are abandoned
and rotting. The decay Of ancient
Limerick is notwithstanding to behold.
1t IS anything but picturesque. The
landlords have so drained OF the re-
sources Of the country i'll rnole prosper
Gus times that there are no husbanded
means left for these years Of leanness.
4. region better favored by nature than
Ireland does not exist, yet tbs country
is wholly paralyzed by q false industrial
system. :'Over-population" is not the
trouble, although English Tories would
have the world think SO. Population
has decreased FROM about $500, 900 in
1910 to about 4. ZOO, 900 in 1888; and a.s-
founding as the assertion may seem, it
is within bounds to declare that about
so per cent of the remaining inhabi~
tants are .productive,- g. are not
engaged in Professional, commercial,
agricultural, Industrial or domestic
service in any capacity whatsoever.
The island ought to support 100000
people easily; it now affords regular &C.
cupation to about 2,00o,O00 The most
active industry, apart from Disabling,
that we have found in tbs southern
towns, is the manufacture of flour from
American Indian corn. The maize
-four is cheap, and the people live on it.
The wheat -four they use is chiefly i'm
ported. Their meats are largely brought
from America. And the rich soil of
their own country pastures a few cattle
while the people are without work and
without money to buy the cheap i'm
ported foods. The case for land reform
and Home Rule would seem conclusive
before an impartial tribunal. We are
On our way to witness some important |
eyictions which begin at once on the
Vandeleur estate in county Glare.
ALBERT SHAW.
The Convent.