The Irish standard., 1888-08-11

Ills tuO Se4 uttNS Ol Lull1Udly pOl4CC WI
are charged with their eviction. or tina
they go back stubbornly and take pos
session, as tires spassers,'' of their owl
houses, il armed officers are not kept o.
guard2 Yesterday. on Lord Kenmare'
great estate near Killarney Isaw. hous
after house that had been torn to tn
ground-literally not one stone left upol
another-to prevent the re-entry O
eyicted tenants. These are not tn
humble cottages of agricultural labor
ers, but the more substantial stone
houses of farmers. Under recent lane
acts tenants have been accorded the
right to go into court and have iu
dicial determination of rents for the
future; and although these courts are
constituted in the interests of the land
lords they usually reduce the rent by 2:
per cent Or more. But this does not
dispose of arrears; moreover, it is not
nearly sufficient reduction.
The people have been compelled to
find more effective remedies for them
selves. They have found in close Or
ganization and militant local senti-
ment the best means for reducing rents.
Very seldom is new tenant found for
an eviction farm. 4 man who SO be
trays the public interest of ireland as to
become 'land-grabber' finds himself
an object of the most loathsome con-
tempt. And however severely boycott
ting is to be condemned on general
principles, it seems to be justified under
these circumstances. The firm league
of the people is proving well nigh ire
sistible in many localities; and land
lords find it best to compromise with
their tenants. firmly believe that no
case can be produced where tenants
have ever asked q reduction that cir
cumstances did not abundanuly justify.
The famous arrangement known as
the ''Plan of Campaign,'' has been ao-
complishing satisfactory results in the
past year OF two in many districts. It
was formed BY the Irish leaders and
was operated from league headquarters
in Dublin. The tenants OH q given
estate who decided to adopt the "plan,"
simply agree among themselves on the
amount they think it fair that each
tenant should pay, and they make a
tender of it to the landlord, In case
their proposition is refused, they pay
the amount oyer to officers Of the league
as trustees and await developments.
Their complete organization has
usually prevailed, although the strug-
gle is sometimes very protracted.
It is along this line that the long-de-
ferred victory is to be won for Ireland
as whole. A clear perception of their
moral rights and a courageous asser-
tion of those rights, cannot fail in the
long run. Wherever the league is in
fuential, 1t uses it's power to preserve
order and prevent an exasperated peo-
pie from doing lawless and violent
things, The moderation and good be-
havlor of the Irish people under the
terrible distress they are in and under
the cruel and malignant provocation to
which the present English government
subjects them, has no parallel in his
tory.
Two days ago we drove with a com.
pany of priests from Cork across the
beautiful country from Fermoy to
Mitchelsville, at the foot of the Galtee
mountains, to attend the funeral Of
John Vaudeville. We shall probably
never see a more characteristic irish
gathering. Mitchelstown has been
made famous the world over by the re.
cent attack OF the governments mill
tary police upon the people who were
peacsably assembled in mass meeting
in the public square. three citizeus
being killed. There had been many
evicGions in the vicinity OF Mitchels-
town. and no man had been more prom
inent in aiding and encouraging the
poor tenantry than John Mandeville,
well-to-do gentleman-farmer, who
titled his own land. For making a
speech in the interests Of the National
league (the league had been suppressed
by the government in his region) he
was sentenced under the crimes act to
three months in prison. The frightful
cruelty and priyation Of his experience
fastened disease upon him which has
now, some months after his release, re-
suited in his death. He was man of
powerful frame and great stature, and
only 80 years old. He was the cham
pion of his poorer neighbors, and aman
universally respected and beloved.
The people from whole countryside
thousands OF them-attended the funer-
al, which vas an affair of great politi-
cal Significance. A number OF Irish
members of Parliament came from
London to attend, and the number OF
priests was large. The local bands and
Gaelic organizations we're present, and
the scene was one of the most wlerdly
impressive I-have ever witnessed.
Hundreds Of men wore green ribbons
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