The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-26
TWO SIDES TO THE QUESTION, AC-
CORDING TO THE POINT OF
VIEW.
SOME SUFFERING CERTAIN.
IN MANY DISTRICTS THE POTATO
CROP is A PRACTICAL
FAILURE.
RELIEF ASKED OF GOVERNMENT.
Said to Be Greatly Over
estimated.

DUBLIN, Oct 25.-There are two
sides to the question of the famine in
Ireland One side is that of the gov
ernment, which alleges that the fam
inc is exploited by politicians as an
argument against the administration of
Irish affairs The other side, held by
many of the clergy, politicians and
people, is that it is certain there will
be great distress throughout large sec
tions of the country. A meeting of
Roman Catholic prelates has been held
at Maynooth, and those present adopt
ed resolutions that the archbishops and
bishops of Ireland deem it their duty
to submit to the government a state
ment of their conviction, formed on the
personal knowledge of seven members
of that body, that the failure of the
potato and cereal crops in many dis
| tricts, particularly on the southern and
western coasts, must lead to great
distress, and unless speedy measures of
relief are adopted to disastrous conse-
quences.
From delegates who were present at
the convention of the Independents at
Dublin details of the situation were
learned. The famine is particularly
bad in the Middle and West Cork dis
trict, South of Ireland, from Macroon
to the borders of Kerry, including two
congested districts. Meetings are be-
ing held, the parish priests presiding
to urge the government to start relief
works before the people reach the point
Of actual suffering. The district of
Bantry, where the greatest suffering
occurred in 1847 and 1879, is as bad as
the Cork district. The potatoes are
practically exhausted already, and in
Mid-COrk and along the southern coast
there is not more than a quarter Of
the usual crop. 1t is said that a very
small percentage of the farmers in
these districts have saved their pota-
toes and those saved are said to be
SO badly diseased that when eaten they
produce Irish cholera" 1t is feared
that the supply of food will be exhaust
ed before the new year. The other
crops are very bad. The laborers are
worse off than the farmers, because,
now that the crops are harvested, they
have no expectation Of work until the
spring.
The government officials insist upon
keeping themselves fully informed re-
gardfng the conditions prevailing and
VIII be able, apparently, to cope with
the distress; but they say they are
unable to announce at this time what
districts or how many people will be
affected.
j. B. Dougherty, assistant under sec
retary of state for Ireland, discussing
the situation with a representative of
the Associated Press, said there would
undoubtedly be suffering, but he add
ed that the predictions of a famine
similar to that of the year 1S4S were
'frubbish.'' He added: There are sew
eral counties on the West coast of Ire.
land where the people have had an
exceedingly hard time to attain self
support under the best conditions and
it requires but a small push to send
them over The line, so that with
small falling off of the crops they will
be obliged to accept aid. This will be
the case in parts of the West coast.
Two circumstances, however, will pre-
vent recurrence of famine in Ire
land under any circumstances, name
ly, the increase of railroad facilities
since 1S4S, and the fact that the peo-
pie no longer depend entirely upon the
potato crop.
THE truth is, that part of Ireland is
not sufficiently productive to support
its people and it is a question whether
manufactures should not be taken to
them or whether they should not be
taken to the manufacturers of Eng
land, the United States, or elsewhere
though I am not prepared to say
which. If electricity were largely ap-
piled to manufacturing in Ireland that
country would have a great future as
a manufacturing center; but if Ireland
is obliged to import coal, it will be I'M
oh q n nn O rrlo ND ox,I
other countries. The government is
keeping informed on the situation and
is fully able to handle any suffering
which may arise
In conclusion, Mr.. Dougherty left it
to be inferred that relief work would
be inaugurated although he did not
say so.