The Irish standard., 1897-10-30
THEY APPEALED IN VAIN.

THEY APPEALED IN VAIN.
The Irish hierarchy at a recent meet
Ing in Dublin submitted to the British
government a statement of their con-
knowledge, to the effect that the failure
of the crops in many districts of Ire
land, particularly on the western and
southern coasts, must lead during the
coming winter and spring to very acute
distress among large numbers of the
population. and that disastrous conse-
quences may follow unless well-coll-
ceived measures of relief were taken in
good time by the authorities. The
words Of the Irish bishops fell upon
deaf cars and no attention was paid to
them.
The Irish members Of parliament
some weeks ago petitioned Mr.. Balfour
to call a special session of the legisla-'
ture to pass relief measures to avert
a famine, but the naughty Tory leader
in the House of Commons informed
them that he was on the alert, and
there was no necessity for assembling
parliament for that purpose Some Of
the government officials intimated that
the Irish Nationalist were talking Of
distress to make political capital out
of it, and that their object was to Gre
ate difficulties for the party of Sails
bury. Balfour. Chamberlain & Co.
AT the request of the New York
World John Dillon, M. p, has sent to
that paper the following special cable
gram. dated Oct. %:
ut is admitted now by all except Dub
lin castle that over the large districts
in the west and southwest of Ireland
severe distress. amounting to famine in
places. will prevail during the coming
winter and spring. AS In 1845 and 1879
and other famine years. the government
has begun by vigorously denying that
there is any cause for alarm. This at
titude is always maintained until after
the November rents are collected.
Meanwhile the area and Intensity Of
distress is increased greatly by levying
rent on a people who soon will be face
to face with starvation. Ejectments
and processes for rent are falling like
snowfakes over the distressed districts
We hold that the duty Of providing
against distress lies entirely on the
government. and that it has no right to
1a.,v tn ~, o,t1 90 no
world.
Periodic famines in Ireland are the
direct result Of this government. This
year and for the last forty years sl5,-
100000 has been taken annually from
Ireland unjustly by excessive taxation.
Onc-sixth of the sum of which Ireland
has been robbed this year would provide.
II judiciously expended. for the wants
OF the distressed districts if accompan-
led by a measure placing check on the
levying of rents in the famine districts
Sixty seven Irish members out of a
total of 1903, signed memorial to Mr..
Bafour asking for the immediate sum-
moning Of Parliament in order to make
proper provision for relief works and
to pass some measure to restrain the
levyinE Of excessive rents. Mr.. Balfour's
answer has been the old, stereotypcd
one: "The government is carefully
watching the distress and has ample
powers to deal with it."
That was exactly what was said in
lS45. The government continued to
watch while thousands died Of hunger.
We have no confidence in the official
machinery Of the Irish government,
and we do not believe that the further
thinning out OF the Irish population
would be a matter of regret to the castle
authorities.
The best service our friends in Amer
lea can render will be to hold meetings,
to expose the callous attitude OF the
Irish government. and then demand, in
the name of common humanity. that the
government shall do its duty.
The irish Standard was right when
it said some weeks ago that the British
government would do nothing to save
the lives Of the Irish people threatened
with famine. I'VE then told the Irish
farmers and laborers to keep what
money they had and let the landlords
whistle icr their rents. The British
government has no more sympathy for
the poor Of Ireland than tiger would
for It's prey. Let the Irish people help
themselves and tell the landlords to
go to the Internal regions. If the gov
ernment comes to the aid of the land
lords the Irish are justified in resort
ing to the most desperate measures for
self-preservation. Twenty millions of
Irish eNiles will help their kindred at
home in the time of distress. We hope
to hear that meetings are held in all
cities of the United States at once for
the relief of the Irish people threat
cned with starvation. They must not