The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-05-13
HARD TIMES ACROSS THE
WATER.


The gold standard is doing its per-
feet work in Europe as we'll as the
United States. In the Omagh, Ire
land, "Constitution, of April 10, 1896,
we find report of the proceedings of
a large meeting of tenant-farmers of
Tyrone county, the Rev. James
Dysart presiding. He said:
The chairman, who was received
with applause, said he esteemed it a
high honor and privilege to preside
over that meeting. because he was in
thorough accord and sympathy with
them, and with any honest and up
right farmer who wanted to cultivate
the soil honestly to pay his just debts
They could not overlook the fact that
in the history of agriculture they had
arrived at stage Of great depression.
That time last year potatoes, for in
stance, were five times the price they
were at present, and in regard to pork
the farmer was hardly paid for cut
ting the turf and preparing the food
for the porkers. There had not bee
great disparity from year to year in
the price OF corn, for there had been a
continued succession of unremunera-
tive prices. Flax had become total
failure, and in many cases would not
pay for the seed, and the price Of
horses had also diminished, and where
could they look for the money to pay
taxation and their Just debts and live.
Extravagant prices we're not paid for
cattle, and so they had arrived at a
time of great depression in agricul-
ture. A remedy must be found. They
a nda n 10
men to solve the question, and his So
luton was the abolition of dual own
ership. (Applause.) What their neigh
borS had obtained they had right to
ask for. They were met by foreign
competition. The British army was
being supported on the produce of
other countries while those present
maintained it. If they were taxed to
support the army it was little enough
that the beef that fed it should be
bought from the British farmer. ZAP
plause.) Some of the forage that was
used by army horses came from abroad
and was there not abundance of hay
in this country? He suggested that
the land from year to year be reduced
to the same level as that Of the ten
ants who had purchased from their
landlords-and from the fact that
they never could become proprietors a
redemption annuity should be added
to compensate them. The resolutions
to be submitted were of moderate,
but firm and determined character.
Mr.. VIM. Clements moved the fol-
lowing resolution:
THAT we, the tenant farmers Of the
surrounding district Of Oman, in pub
lie meeting assembled, desire to urge
upon our legislators in the Imperial
Parliament to take into serious con-
SidcratiOn, in connection with the
coming Land Bill, the unprecedented
and unparalleled state Of agricultural
depression at present existing in Ire
land, and which, if not speedily rene
died by judicious and generous legisla-
tiOn, is certain to bring inevita BILE dis
aster not alone upon farmers but upon
all classes of the community, as it is
we'll known fact, which can be fully
established, that farm produce when
taken to market does not realize more
than working expenses" He said it
wasn't necessary for him to recommend
the resolution to meeting of tenant
farmers at time when they are suf-
fering from the depressed state Of ag-
riculture, depression unequalled in
the memory Of those present. In re-
gard to pork, he calculated that it
-Nst Sd per pound to the farmer, while
13d was the price realized for it. He
believed the farmer was losing lbs per
cwt. Flax-grOwing was regular rob-
berry to most farmers this year, and
farm produce did not realize NOR than
working expenses.
The resolution was carried by accla-
nation.
Mr.. A. II. R. Sproule, j. P. proposed
the second resolution as under:
"That we do hereby give public ex-
preston to our opinion that nothing
short of a comprehensive measure of
land purchase, by which the landlord
will be compelled to sell his interest
in the land and the tenant to buy on
just and equitable terms, can effectu-
ally benefit the country. And we fur
ther urge upon the government to ad-
vance the full amount of the purchase
money to the landlord at once, as the
land would be sufficient security. and
also that the period of payment by the
tenant in yearly installments be ex-
tended over 70 years: and that the ten
ants insurance fund should be abol-
ished. as it has already retarded sales. +"
The farmers of Ireland had a
very hard task to perform, and he
thought if the resolution were carried
out it would help to relieve the terri
BILE depression that was hanging over
the country. Many things might be
advocated from that platform, but
the one thing needful was to keen
hammering away and get the thin end
of the wedge in, and then drive it
home. He did not want to rob the
landlord to benefit the tenant, nor
vice versa. II the Irish farmers were
taken in fair and honest way and
treated as honest men, and the land
lords likewise, some settlement could
be arrived at by both parties. He
held that foreign competition, and
that alone, was at the bottom of the
evil. and that il was the governments
fault for allowing it to exist. The
speaker advo Gated general protective
tariff, allowing raw material to come
in free and give work to the artisan.
No country of it's size had the water
power facilities enjoyed by Ireland.
and it ought to be the great manufac-
turing country of the world.
There are several things to be OBJ
served in these proceedings.
While our politicians are demand
ing protective tariff against the
pauper labor of the old world. the old
scorld is demanding protective tariff
against the pouper-labor of the ne,o acorld'!
The Money-power has wrecked all
the civilized races; but the poor suf-
ferers cannot perceive where the
trouble is II every country separates