Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-07
Letter From Michael Davitt on
Potato Blight in Ireland.
Starvation in Store for Large Pro-
portion OF Inhabitants-Aid From
America Expected.
Employer and Emplcye Preparing for tn
Inevitable Clash Between Capital and
LabOr-O'Dwyer Firm.
Sad State of Affairs.

Il have visited large section of Ireland during
the past week, and everywhere found abundant
confirmation Of the report which was started last
month that crops generally, and the potato crop
in particular, were doomed TO failure this year.
1t is needless alter the experiences OF tho years
OF 1879 anu 1855 to inform those who know any
thing about Ireland that this In7otves tarSstion
for = large proportion o. its lnnaDltantE. FoE
another section it means insolvency, while up
or the whole CONNIE rCial system OF the country
II VIII bring general depress ion. Continuous
rain during The months OF June, July ara August
has brought sbOut tins dreful result II has been
= singular summer. An intelligent country gen
tleman OF Limerick SAID to me: The weather mas
behaved IN most taEt2!lZiug fashion all
through. There wss at no time rain sufficient
to make q rise OF two inches IN the shannon, and
it came in such dribbes IS not TO give the far
mer chance of doing anything
AS usual the burden of the distress
falls on the districts OF the seaboard, where the
potato is the
MAIN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE.
These districts lying principally in the counties
OF Cork. Kerry, Galway, Mayo and Donegal.
The eastern counties have also suffered severely
from the potato rot, and there also the harvest
has been materially injured. Another effect al
most as prodigious IN its consequences az the
potato failure possible fuel famine. which
has been overlooked in all tnat has been re-
ported hitherto. The sunshine necessary for
drying turf which is the Only com5us.ible avail
able to the lrisA peasant Tor his winter hTe mas
been absent; hence IL is that not Oaly hIEa the
poor people OF the southern and western sea-
boards the prospect o: cherries heartS super
added to famine, but they have 70 face the ulti-
mate fatality c. eviction, which inevitably
comes where the harvest does MOI yield rent.
In many districts the people arc at present
burning furze and brambles IL their fires, while
the turf cut this season which should now be
drying lies very MOST at the bog sides.
The southern districts most kcenly affected
by the potato failure are those which sur
round Schult, Dunmanus and Beer Haven in
county Cork; and Dingle and CahIerieveen in
county Kerry. The potatoes will not last
longer than November and thenceforward the
people
WILL HAVE NO FOOD.
On the Dingle promontory pigs alone are pay
ing at present. but in some cases the potatoes
were so bad that they Were not sufficient to fat
Ten pigs Lobster fishing is carried on TO some
extent on the headaud. but want OF communi-
ication makes the sale Improbable. Other de-
scrptions of fishing out of the question, in
some localities for want Of proper ba its, and in
others, such as the districts surrounding Dun
manus bay, by reason OF the distance they lie
from the open OF course the fishing in
dlstry is thriving in the ueighboring ports OF
places are exceptionally favored by situation
and fortune. With little outside assistance
Ballemore has been raised from the level of the
nelghboring district TO position OF prosperity
which renders the people absolutely Independent
OF the potato crop as
SOLITARY RESOURCE.
II the fisheries were further developed along our
coast line the prospect of failure of the potato
crop would not have such terrors for Ireland, as
il has ut present.
Leaving the southern district some dread
full conditions and prospects exist. In various
parts of Connaught. around Westport and New
port in county Mayo, including the island of
Arran, potatoes were seriously affected with the
blight. In the surrounding market the price is
lid and 12d a stone, over double the price us
ually obtainable in September. In other
spects the condition of the districts of Con-
naught is the same as that existing in Cork and
Kerry.
''My suggestion made three weeks ago that
winter vegetables should be planted in the
ground at once, was carried out by many farm
ers in number OF the districts, who dug up
what was left OF the potatoes and replaced them
with turnips. This, OF course, conld only he
done III the districts where Shc farmers had
some small capital of their own, but in the To-
calities where he tenants st harvest time have
always large liabilities to discharge to the gom-
been men for loans m de during the sowing
season, it ives Impossible for them to follow the
same course. Some little assistance, however,
was forthcoming, and few in these districts
were enabled to carry out my recommendation.
We hope for liberal assistance from the gen.
erouS- hearted Americans and our fellow-co
yrymen in the United States and in Australia,
to enable the ADMINISTRATION people of Ireland
to tide over the coming gloomy winter.
LABOR vs. CAPITAL
With parliament scattered over the moors,
along the lakes and the continental watering
places; with royalty on Z vacation, and the
fleet and army resting from the summer maneu-
vers, the pressing question on the British public
mind is the rising an.agonism be-
tween organized labor and the right
Importance it really overShadows all other
questions. Differences to wages are OF but
SilRht consequence IN comparison with IL
In this country. says the London Times, the
central question is not at all how much the men
are TO have for their labor but whether they are
to have he right to prevent other men from
his labor any terms that
do not please him, but the issue lie whether
man who chooses to withhold his labor is to he
allowed TO break the head OF another anxiously
seeking the wages he rejects.
At an informal meeting to-day in London 3
number OF the leading indus tries of the Coun-
SnclUl!ry RAILWAYS docks
shipping were represented by responsible men
with the ownership and management |
Of the companies and firms. The disastrous in
iuenees of the recent strikes upon the business
Of the country was commented upon, and par |
.icularly the loss of trade in London caused by |
The
DICTAToRIAL RULES AND REQUIREMENTS
Of the Dockers' union. While no actual resolu- |
lion was arrived at, the general sentiment ey-
Tor the right Of employing whom they pleased
eaving the question OF wages to be arranged |
n such manner as seem to be for the best inter- |
,sts al! concerned. It was Substantially deter |
mined that united action should be taken
against uniustifable strikes, and that IL event
CT any such STRIFE the employer should be pro-
action has been taken, there can he no DOUBT
hat English capital is preparing for the strng-
1ictation Of unions. The unions are en-
.irely prepared TO taSe up the challenge
Skilled and unskilled labor are receiving good |
wages in Great Britsin, and the general condi- |
'equently the various unions have considers
BE balance on hand, and their leaders are Just |
Is determined TO maintain the claims of organ |
red labor as the employers are to assert their !
OWN liberty OF action. |
BUILDING RAILROADS IN IRELAND.
The government is taking active measures for |
'elief OF the threatened distress in Ireland by |
proceeding with the construction of several lines
II light railways, thus affording much needed |
employment to the people. While the mouey |
hus paid out is welcome, the railways not |
10 welcome. as their military Importance is evil |
lent. and when constructed they will greatly !
acilitste the operations of the soldiers and con-
tabulGry in the remote districts OF Ireland.
NOT AN EXTREMIST.
The dispute between Bishop O'Dwyer OF
Limerick and the nationalist leaders, especially |
Dillon. is assuming acute phase. Some OF |
he clergy with the bishop. while all accord |
o him, whatever their private sentiments, the |
aspect due to his station. The priests therefore
Who are, as q rule, in thorough sympathy |
With the Irish nationalist association |
.efuse to join in any action which, directly |
,r indirectly rejects on their ecclesiastical SUI
oerior. Bishop o'Dwyer is respected by every |
BODY in Limerick as prelate of spotless life /
and honorable intentions. He is ex- |
tremely devoted 10 the poor and Is |
popular Throughout his do |
,ese. He has come to the conclusion that |
tenants ought TO pay their rents when put at