The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-09-15
Colonel Keppel Tells Of the
Benefits of Parnell-
ism.
Result Of Investigation in the
Land of Bog and Patriot
ism
Tenants No Longer Evicted Without
Any Return for Years of
Work.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
COS Broadway Sent ID

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,l
sos Broadway. Sept. II. J
AT last the power of landlordism in
Ireland is broken and the Teasant-farmer.
as be is wrongly cal. d. can get some JUS
tice from the British Government"
This sentiment was uttered by Lieuten-
ant-ColoneI keppel of the Salvation Army,
who has recently returned from Ireland.
While in that country Colonel Keppel
studiousIy inquired into its conditions,
talked with many OF the farmers and pro-
prietoIs, and now says that the efforts of
Charles Stewart ParneIl. and his followers
have succeeded in breaking the back of
landlordism and of greatly ameliorati n g
the condition of the small farmers.
AFTER having been an American eiti-
zen FOR many years." said the colonel,
land being very familiar in my early life
with the unhappy condition of Ireland,
because it was my boyhood's home, l am
really thankful to be able TO say a word of
encouragement to the many here who
have relatives in that country. l made it
a special business to find out just how the
great farmer tenants of Ireland are being
treated to-day. | went among farmers in
many parts of the country and learned
the truth from their own lips. Although
| have nothing to say abOut home rule
car say positively that the efforts OF Par
nell and his followers have been greatly
rewarded. Tie Ireland of to-day is a very
different country from the Ireland OF
twenty years ago.
mo longer can an absent landlord send
an agent to evict tenants who have i'm
proved their property and conhscate all
the Improvements. There has 10 be a
valuation made by Government officials
and the landlord has to pay the tenant a
Just price for his LABOR, and was inioI ed
that these valuations as made by the com.
mission are very faIr.
Il will mention just two incidents to H.
lustrate the progre 8 made in fifteen years.
About 1880 l witnessed an eviction. A
man many years before had found q piece
of solid land on a hillside bordering on a
bog. Itwas absolutely yaiueless for any
purpose under the sun. The man set to
work and picked out all the rocks and
stones built a little cabin OF rocks and
mud with a wall around it. He worked
for years and finally got the land in such
condition that it yielded him fair living
for his family.
He did not have an extra penny, but
be had by sheer toll made the bleak earth
yield him living.
Finally he was sued to pay rent for
his own cottage 10 landlord who had
never done thing to encourage him and
who never came 10 his estate. He was
too poor 10 pay rent as the earth would
not yield enough. He was. therefore,
evicted, and his house pulled down in case
he should go back to live in it.
Now it is different. Just a few weeks
ago | was present at transfer of property
from tenant 10 landlord, but there was no
hasty eviction. The tenant would not pay
what he considered the high rent, so he
was ordered to leave. But he had greatly
improved the property, and before the
landlord could obtain possession be had
to pay sum equal to $4,000 to the ten
ant Tor the Improvements. the tenant
himself admitted that the sum was Just
one.
There is still much to be done for
Ireland, but the condition OF the people is
better to-day than it has been at any
other time in this century"