Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-23
KILKENNY AND IT'S ISSUES.
Interesting Sketch of the Scene of the
First Parliamentary Conflict.
lBatimore SUM-

nallite aud and anti-Parneillte factions Of
the IRISH Nationalist IS an inland county
Of the province OF Ieinster, situated ia the
southeastern part Of the Emerald Isle Its
name was derived from st. Cannech. or
Canicc. abbot Of Aghaboe, who died IN 599,
and whose see was removed 10 Xii
kenny in the eleventh century. In
ptolemy's time IL was inhabited by
the Brigantos and the Cauci. Later
IT was part Of the kingdom Of Wis
raigagh. IL was first made a county IN
1910 under King John. During the revolu-
tiOn IL was On Irish stronghold and main
tanned the cause Of James III. vigorously
against william Ill Evidence Of It's
varied fortunes is seen n its circular
groups Of stones Of ancient origin, its
croi0lschs and raths. its mounds. forts.
round towers, aud other more modern
structures. OF its castles that of Graney.
IN Iverk. supposed 10 have been founded
by the Earl Of Ormonde in 1921. 10 the
most remarkable. The old Cathedral
Of ST. Cance, in the town OF Kill
kenny, built in 1852. - with one exception
tho largest ecclesiastical building IN Ire
land. Tho area OF the county is 5G7. .25f
acres, Of which ,2sl were IN 1881 under
tillage, 293,252 under pastuTage, and 1913
IN plantations. The population at that
date was 9306i persons. Of wnOm g3.699
NfAt iNtl4iAu NhtuD4iinf = fpo esil@'
and some 900 Of other denominations.
There were IN 1870 as many ~ H.0l5 plots
Of land occupied by tenants, Of whom
5,32j held farms Of thirty acres and
upward. The number Of holdings OF
one acre WAS 1874. agriculture is the
chief interest Of the people, and dairy
farming y largely followed. There are,
however, mining. brewing, distillng, tan
ming, milling, and mGrbe-pOlishing indus
fu.s NHNN Il s.fl1 hfff rod
10 contain ~, 900. 900 tons OF anthracite. Of
which 20 600 IONS are mined yearly. IL also
quarries marble largely, and the town Of
Kilkenny, which has population OF about
1900 still retains some of It's woOllen and
linen industry.
TO WHICH SIDE!
The bye-elcction soon TO be held TO fill
vacancy in the parliamentary representa-
tiOn Of the county IS OF interest for its
bearing upon the fortuncs Of Mr.. Parnell.
The question Of the hour in Irish politics 40
present is this: To which side does the
majority of the Irish hOmc-Tulo voters IN
cline-to Mr.. Parnell or TO those Of
bis former followers who now wish
TO deposc him from the leadership
Of the Nationalist party? Should
Kilkenny elect Mr.. Scqlly, Mr.. Par
nell's nominee, the fact will. II is assumed,
demonstrate Nr. PaInell's superior
strength, not only IN Kilkenny, but
throughout ireland. A victory IN this first
contest Will give the uncrOwned king
such prestige and authority that his oppO-
uonts will hereafter have before them q
most difficult future. On the other
hand. should Mr.. Hennessy, the anti
Parnelllte nominee, wn ID hilkenny'
Mr.. Parnclps difficulties viii be
greatly increased. Observers viii con-
clude that. for the present at least, the
heart Of Ireland Is with MIR. Mccarthy and
the other champions of the GladstOnean
alliance. The violence with which the
campaign is being conducted is not out Of
proportion 10 the interests, personal and
political. it must affect. The political
principle involved is Of the first impOr-
lance. from the English as well as the Irish
point Of view.
THE PRINCIPLE INVOLVED.
Mr.. Parnell fighting for his position as
leader of the parliamentary representa-
tives of Ireland, reseuts Mr.. Gladstoue's
effort 10 compel him 10 withdraw as an
effort TO fuse the Irish with the English
home rulers, and thus destroy the integrity
and independence Of the Irish Nationalist
party. Mir Gladstone, he says, wishes to
get him ont of the way in order to have
him succeeded TT the head of the Irish par
tv bv somebody without backbone, who
will accept an imperfect hOme-rule
measure. Nr Parnoll is positive that
the home-rule scheme Mr.. Gladstone
will try to enact If he again gets in power
Is unsatisfactory A year ago Mr.. Glad
stone. he SAYS. reveal0d II 20 him, and 1t
fell far short Of the scheme the Irish peO-
ple demand. It would leave control of the
Irish police and ~ Judiciary in English
hands, and would give the Dublin Par
lament power to egislate in respect to
land, ovicted tenants, &c. This would be
insufficient Mr.. Parnell, accordingly,
says to Ireland " Do not sacrifice
me 30 maintain the alliance with
the English Home-Rulers, for that al
lance does not mean the Independence OF
Ireland If you give me up you abandon
tho principle that the Irish Parliament ia
auv satisfactory hOme-rule bill must pos
scss sovereign authority" TheEatlonalists
who have sought TO depose MIR. Parnell
from the leadership in order TO maintain
the Gladstonean alliance reply by de-
nving the truth of Mr. ParnelPs
revelations. II is only, they con-
tend. by means of the GladstOnean
alliance that a home-rule bill can be car
ried in this generation, and hence MIR. Par
nell must give way If Mr.. Gladstone insists
upou L. Besides, with the advantages that
even an imperfect home-rule bill would
give, il would be possible for Dublin Par
Lament 70 wrench from England in short
time the full measure of sovereignty 1t de-
sires.