Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-06
A TRIP TO IRELAND.
Bishop Richard Phelau. of Pittsburg
Returns from His Journey to
the Green Isle.
Peasantry Confronting the Prospect
of a Dire Famine in the
Emerald Isle.
Balfouf'S Plan of Relief Not Like t,
Result Well-GladstOne's Pop
ularity.

New YORK Bishop Richard Phelan. of
the Roman Catholic diocese of Pittsburg.
returned from his visit to Ireland on the
Arizona. Owing to his wide acquaintance
with the Irish race and with the sentiment
that underlleS the agitation on which his
country Is so largely interested, Bishop
Phela.4 5 return from the country of his
birth has been looked forward to with
more than ordinary interest, particularly
IN view of the added fact that his pur-
pose In visiting Ireland was ostensibly to
make a personal Ia vestigadion of its
needs
The clergy of Ireland" he said to a
reporter, must necessarily interest them
selves in the troubles that come to their
people. Without the mature Judgment
and the more sober calculations Of the
clergy. collisions would be frequent and
bloodshed rife. The Irish clergy are taken
from the people-there is no caste in the
Roman Catholic church Consequently
they know their Pensioners and can live
IN the closest bonds of sympathy with
their troubles Without them the people
would go too far, for it can not be denied
that the passions incident to their miser-
able condition are difficult to control.
This much by way of explanation.
The last of my visits to Ireland was
confined to the county Kilkenny. which is
IN the southwestern section. The potato
crop in that part of Ireland is bad. but it
is not a total failure. There is poverty
and distress enough, but not nearly so
much as there is in other sections, such as
Galway, Donegal and Kenmare, where the
crop is utterly lost and where the people
are IN great need of assistance. In these
nelghbor hoods the outlook for the winter
Is most dreadful. Balfour' absurd idea of
railway relief does not offer much hope to
the sufferers, nor had anything of a definite
nature resulted from the prospect up to
the date of my departure. There is a
general impression that the scheme was
suggested merely. to appease the
excitement resulting from the ut
terances of Mr.. Gladstone and Mr..
Morley, rather than from an honest de-
sire on Bafour's part to afford the needed
relief. | do not doubt that if these rail
roads were started at once and pushed
with something like American energy.
they would afford relief and avert the
awful distress of the famine in certain
districts, although many of the stricken
districts would not be reached by them at
all. As have said, however, these rail
ways had not been begun when | left
Ireland.
Personally, | rather admire Balfour,
as the brightest man in his party. By
this do not mean the most successful
man, for he has never yet achieved sue
cess In any IF his undertakings. We all
thought it good joke that Dillon and
O'Brien gave him the slip so handsomely.
1t showed pretty conclusively that he was
not quite as smart Il man as he and his
adherents thought. However, there can be
no denying his ability as a politician. as is
shown by MS visit to Ireland, of which |
have learned since we came inside the
Hook. Whether this trip is in the nature
OF an investigation Or not am unable to
say, but | promise you the results, #
obtained from an investigation standpoint
will be small indeed. He has taken pains
to surround himself with the men who are
responsible for his theories as to the
absence of Irish distress and The absurdity
of unusual famine, and these men will see
to it that his views are not suffered to
change.
How striking the contrast between
Gladstone and BaIfour, when looked at
through Irish eyes! Of Gladstone the peo-
pie speak only with enthusiasm; of Bafour
with disgust and anger. To my mind the
outcome is plain. If Gladstone lives two
or three years longer he will have every
thing his own way, and Balfour will be
force to introduce a land purchase bill by
which the tenant may purchase his land on
the instaiIment plan. And yet can not
help thinking, as | look back upon the
tenant troubles of forty years ago, when |
left Ireland, that they are not as bad now
as then. | was forcibIy reminded of this
when [ visited my brother who is the
canon Of parish in the county of Xii
kenny. was sitting with him one day
when Lord Ormonde was announced The
visitor said that he had come to talk With
my brother, as priest of the parish, con-
corning the condition of the tenantry
There had been some sli ght dissatisfaction
and he desired to straighten it out annie
ably through the priests influence. The
two talked it over for hours, and by the
time the interview came to an end | had
but one thought, which | expressed to my
brother when | said: Times have chang
ed. Forty years ago he'd have thrown
em out without word and without. a
heart in his BODY"