The Irish standard., 1890-04-05

I and their beauties. But 1t never Oc
Icurred to him in visiting these islands
ltnat he should meet with SO many
! friends and sympathizers and country
men, althou.,h it had been trnthfully
said that no corner Of the earth can b.
penetrated where an Irishman cannot
be- found. ireland is country o
small farms. The people have to loof
for support to the cultivation of the
land, and to the cultivation OF the lane
alone. In other days the people were
discouraged from prosecuting Other
industries.
| ABY WORD.
1t was owing to this fact that for ages
this people had been byword among
the nations of the earth for their pow
erty. Why should the nation be CON
demned to continual poverty, degrade
tion and distress? Not through any
fault of their own, but through the sys-
tenn of law which compels them tC
make their living through that one in
dustry. Even England had admitted
the justice of their cause. and it was
conceded that Ireland had the wors:
system of land laws OH the face Of the
earth. He found In Australia that the
object before the minds Of all intelligent
statesmen was to get people settled on
secure tenure of land. It was the same
in the United States. He believed on
personal observation that much Of the
sterling prosperity and strength of
America was based on the great nun ber
of farmers settled on the land.
THE RENT TAX
It was not enough that for generation
after generation the Irish farm srs' land
was taxed at increasing rent. They
talk of robbing the landlords Of Ireland,
but he spoke Of what most round the
tab e would know, when he said that
four-fifths of the value Of the land was
the result Of the toll Of the people who
brought the .lann from its virgin stlrility
TO It's present fertility. Not only was
power given the: landlords to exact
ruinous rackrents, but tbs tenure Of
the land was kept insecure. The land.
lords swept away something like a
million and a hale OF the people because
they were in the way of bulloeks and
sheep. No more outrageous crime had
ever been perpetratsd against any
people, and there never was any check
to this wrong until the present move
ment was started. The population de-
creased under the influence Of the land
laws from eight millions to half the
number, while that of other. countries
increased. He referred to the case of
TipperarY as an appalling instance Of
Irish wrongs, where the people were
forced to abandon the town. every stone
Of which they built; but the amount OF
trouble the people now endured was
nothing to what their ancestors had to
updergo, and that without any hope OF
relief. The struggle was now drawing
near a glorious termination. IL any
thing was wanted to encourage the
Irish people in their distress it was In
the bond of sympathy that he had
found girdling che earth. MIR. Dillon
sat down amidst loud and prolonged
applause.
Sir Thomas Esmonde, in rising to re.
spond to Our Guests" !" said efelt some
dif6dence, for no words of his could
convey to them his feelings for the hos
pitality toward Mr.. Dillon and himself.
They were finishing tour that included
Africa. Australia, and New Zealand.
and were going to the United States,
and in every country visited they were
proud to be able to say that they had
found friends and sympathizers. They
did not expect to meet 50 many friends
here, but their pleasure was mono the
less keen because it was nnexpected.
He wished to express their thanks and
those Of their colleagues for the kind
ness Of the King in sending his band to
play for them that night. Mr.. Berger
asked him not to be too critical about
the performance, but after hearing it
he thought it was above criticism.
When listening to the music to night
that Is, the Irish tunes-it carried him
back to the daYs when thew had q
legislature for Ireland. The right Of
Ireland to q parliament was perhaps
more ancient than the parliament OF
Enxiatad itself. They should keep it
'up perhaps TO the day of jldgment-
they should never give it up until they
had 8 parliament of their own. They
were told they were very extravagant
III their demands. But how would
people like if some power would come
and tell you to give up your parliament.
that they would attend to that business
for yonY Was there man present who
wonld not sacrifice the last drop Of his
blot,d before subnit ittiDg tOit2 All the
students OF Irish history knew this
strnRRles had gone on for some time.
hut they were king forward To q time
when they could retire 70 the sh0eoms Of
itheir tam HES ard give ups ion.
whom theYS should have II Lament Of
fhGi own tO epntin inet their oSl ail1