The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-05
POVERTY STR|KEN ERIN.
A DECLARATION Bi THE vICERoY
AND CHIEF SrREFARY.


tricts if Aid is Not Irthcoming The
Only Question islow the Money
Ought to be Given "a Insinuation OF
Misrepresent tationl
DUBLIN, Jan. 4.--1 Earl of zetland.
viceroy of Ireland, q Chief Secretary
Balfour signed deGstion which has
been issued on the cortion of the poor in
the western part Of Irind. The declara-
tion says: "PoveI is chronic In
some districts and II, If the people
are not aidsd. reaca stage of acute
distress during the win aud spring. There
is neither resident gent nor substantial
middle class to give sployment, nor are
there charitable organitions TO aid those
who are unable to al themselves. Out
door relief, except in Ses of emergency,
cannot legally be adnistered except to
persons holding over aAarter Of an acre
of land. Although NE acquainted with
the history of tn Irish poor law
would regard rxing Of this
rule as other pap public
calamity, it's maintance undoubtedly
limits the capacity to lal with the periods
of exceptional distress The position thus
created leaves part ofhe social organiza-
tion sick at all times-icken with a dis
ease from which, witht strenuous help, it
has no power 10 rally.
THE ONLY EsTIoN.
"The question is : whether money
| ought to be given, buDw it ought to be
given, TO what class al for what special
purposes. Charity illministe ed Injuries
| the recipients everywte, but is especially
| injurious in those par1with which We are
concerned. Elsewherhe injury may be
confined to a clas relatively small,
but in the worst poras Of the congestei
| districts the whole immunity may be
affected. All are poo all can plausibly
appeal for aid; and hl recklessIy given in
| response may infeG whole townships
with the vices and weaesses of professional
mendicancy. We havpoken of this matter
to many priests and oars acquaintsds with
the condition Of the fple. There was not
one of them, howey keenly they may
have felt the sufferis OF those amongst
| whom they lived, W did not admit the
permanent i'll ctspllowing from much
charitable expenditu within their expe-
rience,
APPEALsbR HELP.
Regarding the aPals for help, it is
| needful to say the ta of distress need not
! be taken Jas authen rbecause they are
couched in strong lRuage and seem to
| come from we'll infoied quarters. A de-
sire to stimulate flagpg charity has been
| fruitful source OF exgeratton. We do not
| know that there is aureason to suppose that
| in Ireland this tendey Is likely to be con-
| trolled by long estabpod habits Of severe
and disciplined acchcy. 1t is not easy
adequately to check lch statements. even
by personal observstk aided by statistics,
however accurate.
FAILURE OF THiPoT,To CROP.
"In regard to the f;lure of the potato
crop, small occupiers i tn west seem, at
! first sight, ali to live ntch the same way,
They are lodged In the san cabins, culti-
vate the same kind oi hoings, and are
clothed with the same kintof dress. 1t
would be naturll conclude
that in all pllces where the
failure of the crop is tht santhe distress is
the same. But such is not case. In no
district does the bulk of community
live wholly on the po;ato. very district
has a means Of Hveliho ID indendent of the
cultivation OF the potato, SD as fishing,
labor in England, Gotta industries,
kelp-maklug and sales Of farm
stock. The degree of failure Of
the potato crop is, therefs, by itself a
misleading guide to the degr of distress
existing among the people. her elements
in finding Of the position OF . people are
the amount Of their savings their debt
and credit with local tradesmeD.
Furthermore, in the oraizaLion of
any plan of gratuitou assista,fe
caution is necessary in rider that
it shall not interfere with t system of
| railway relief work. Several ousands of
pounds weekly are already dributed in
the form OF wages IN the disnts most in
need. Those getting wages tough work
ought not to get charity without.
THEIR DEDUCTIONS
"The conclusions we come are that
| charitable aid ought to be confid, first to
families which are in seriousyant, and
which, having no able-bodl person
among them, cannot derive nefit from
tho public relief works, second,D provid-
ing meals in the schools for ildr en- at
tending them; and third. toupplying
clothes for children unable TO peure them
elsewhere. These forms of astance are
less liable to abuse than others
The declaration proceeds toscuss the
requisites for a good distribun of aid
among the poor. the author for such
distribution, it says, should be lgle; for
the vesting of this authority in ore than
one person would cause CO fusios to areas
and inequality of resources, and puld lead
to no rational adjustment betwn needs
and means. A single distributinluthority
ought to command all availablmeans of
Information as to the condition one people
throughout the country.
The declaration concludes: 70 those
who think that we who can obta the SER
vices of poor law inspectors, scht inspect.
ors, resident magistrates, p',lice I'd others
d, L.
already are officially responsiblior relief
works far exceeding anything theharity is
| likely to effect, to those who thi. that we
are better equipped for carryir out this
work than persons not having the advan-
tages, we offer to undertake thmauage.
ment Of the distribution of anyunds en-
trusted to us. We believe that q money
so spent will be well spent. All ssistance
in the shape of food or clothing
| through this channel apy
other which reaches chilBn and
helpless persons will tighten or feuve much
immediate suffering, without ex;geratine
chronic evils requiring diferenand con.
tinuous treatment for q perma,nt cure
| Subscriptions and clothing will Ereceivec
/ by the Countess OF Zetland 1t the;ce rega
lodge, Miss Balfour at the dhief cretary',
lodge, or by the viceroy or hr Hfour."
PAENELL'S MOVEMENTS
DUBLIN, Jan. 4.-Mr. PifneI and hi,
sister, Mrs. Dickinson, spendSunay at tn,
Marine hotel at Brauo. Ar. E.fnell lef
| Kingston tonight for Lpldoit whittier
Timothy Harrington will lollR him TO
morrow. Mr.. Parnell, accoupared by Mr.
! Harrington, will start TueaaY for Bou
| logne. where John Redm6dl and Mr.
| Clancy await him. 1t is ntfastood tha'
| Mr. Parnell has placed himself the hand