The San Francisco call., 1899-04-30
IT is GREAT TRANSFORMATION
LANDLORD DOMINATION HAS
BEEN SWEPT AWAY.
John Dillon, Michael Davitt and Will
liam O'Brien Tell of the Bene-
fits to Ireland Under the
New System.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK, April ga special ca
BILE TO the World from London SAYS:
Irishmen can still only half realize the
magnitude of the transformation eff
1ected by the first operation of the new
local government scheme passed by the
tnionlst government. 1t gives to Ire
land home rule in all purely county af-
fairs.
John Dillon. NJ. P, Michael Davitt.
NJ. T., and William O'Brien. who took
me most prominent personal part in
the election contests which swept away
landlord domination, have given to the
World signed statements embodying
Ihelr views of the effects of this revO-
luu on John Dillon writes:
Since Union Irish counties have been
governed and taxed Tor local purposes by
grand luries-nomiuated bodies, with no
erected element and always most persist
eat and potent enemies of the national
CaUse-JheIr resolutions had great weight
an England and We're largely instrumental
n defeating Giaustonc's two home rule
tllls. Under the uaN ACT popularity elected
county Councils take over the powers and
duties ~ srand lurles. strong appeals
were made 10 the people by the JnloniSts
even uE some NauOnaliSts that County
tuulCl, elections DE Fought ON nOn-pOliti-
cal lines. bur felt bound 10 urge that the
elections should Ue fought on straight
political issues.
That policy was universally adopted
with the result that uniOnism has been
practically oI.iterated in three southern
provinces and even In Ulster the majority
OF the elected Councillors are National
lists. County and district councils now
controlled IE NauOnaiiSts will be a DOW
erful means of pushing the national
cause.
Recent elections have had the happy
eject or helping 10 put an end TO diSsen-
SONS which nave uHrdiEZed and G1SHra PpH
the National party for the last eight
Wears. ana with the greatly increased
power which viii come to the Nationalists
through the control of councils and the
reunion of the National forces in ireland.
which Is now nearly complete, ! look for
ward with confidence to the establishment
Of a genuinely national government in
Ireland at an early date.
JOHN DILLON.
Michael Davitt writes:
TWeuty-eight Of the thirty-two coun-
ties into which Ireland is geographically
divided are now under control of the Ma
uonalists i'm all matters relating to rural
affairs OF the county. The new County
touneLS have commenced their work we'll
by demanding in uniform terms of
leSolule lnSlsJence the right for all
Ireland which each county now enjoys.
with the necessary complement of central
legislature. This demand must be con-
The AngIo-Irtsh class. who were monop-
olists in the rule of the country. Were alJ
but universally rejected by the voters at
the recent elections. They must either
become rulers or be permanently eXclud-
ed from taking any part in Irish public
-iie. Both Tor themselves and for Eng
land complete home rule offers the only
toluton of the difficulties into which the
Irish national movement Of the past
twenty years has driven the rulers of the
British empire in Ireland.
The work to which The new Council will
address itself viii embrace a better
administration Of poor laws, more eff
Gent industrial education. healthier houses
for laDOTerS. enlargement of holdings in
cougested districts as far as the powers
OF the local government act viii permit
together with general ragement of
all industrial development which may be
calculated TO check excessive emigra tiOn
employment for our young people at
home.
These thirty-two small country parlia-
ments represent the recOnQuest of rural
ireland by Celtic forces. which nav
59uEht during centuries at OppOTtune
times and by varying methods for re-
lgIous, educau uOnal. social, Industrial and
political rights, and have always won in
The end, even against so Unscrupulous a
power as England.
The final victory for national autonomy
cannot be long delayed British statesmen
must soon see its inevitability as Glad
stone saw it i'm Sc and 93 a National
Legislature for Ireland Is as certain
therefore, as is the permanency of the re.
public which the last Irish Parliament
hailed and encouraged at its birth We
expect that the Congress of the United
States will return the compliment to the
fatherland of Carroll. Andrew Jackson
and Phil Sheridan before long
MICHAEL DAVITT
William O'Brien, founder and prin-
cipal figure Of the United Irish League.
which is now as supreme throughout
Connaught as the land league was in