The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-09-07

the remainder being waste, mountain
water, bog. Under crops and small
fruits there nre only 3,1O2,9S0 acres
given, while under grass, 12,1o1,7O7
acres arc reported.
In the sixty years reviewed the
range" has trebled and the crop areas
have as enormously diminished. Yet
ireland, great dairy land. still i'm
ports its butter from Denmark, and
ITS eggs from France. Its meat comes
frozen from the antipodes, and the
bacon that is most used comes with
the cheese from the United States, rs
does the farm machinery ana the tools
of Its workshop also. That is, to a
very large extent.
Irish holdings are small enough to
forbid in equity such transactions.
The number reported Q9OO) was $780,
I'll, an average of 1926 acres each.
The number OF occupiers was but
1850, or 42,15S less than the hold
ings. The pastoral and range areas
are considerably larger than the crop
ped areas, and as these fall out they
are equally added to the cattle walks.
The actual holders average 25 acres
each; the occuplers about %. On the
arabic lands the farm holdings do not
exceed 5H acres.
Since 1871 the decrease in the num-
her Of holdings" has been 1898.
There is only about 3h acres in use for
each person In Ireland. All the grains
have declined in area for the same.
perlod--flax onc-half and potatoes one
fifth. Meadows have increased by
twenty onc-fifths. This is landlord
policy, for the Irish farmer, a hard
working and shrewd farmer, when he
owns his "bit" of farm, aims always
to live out Of the products thereof.
Another Irish paradox is that in Ul-
stcr. where the towns are prosperous
and the manufacturers thrive, the
farmers are growing both discontented
and liberal, while the laborers, opera
tivcs and wage earners generally are
more than ever bigoted supporters of
the GLORIOUS memories" of the Boyne
and fiercer and more turbulent defend
ers Of the faith and the Protestant sue
ccssiOn.
The "Leaguers," us the Anti Land
lord and Home Rule party are always
known in the west and south, do their
utmost peaceably-in an Irish sense,
Mt least-to make evictions Infamous
and unpopular. They 60 in force with
bands of music and placard banners
to groan and denounce. The police al
ways declare against the bands and
banners and ignore the groaning, but
somehow the music goes on and the
flags float. Each occasion is made
use of for demonstration by the local
directory Of the United Irish League
1t is alleged always that the con-
stabulary, who are virtually very
efficient body of soldiers we'll set up,
equipped and armed with ri1ed car
bincs, revolvers and batons, endeavor
to provoke assaults Somehow to an
outsider 1t looks as If the league man
ayers were not unwilling. At any rate,
they certainly make all the provocation
they now dare. l am not criticising,
for it would be hard for me, were
Irish, to keep from doing more. The
constabulary look like hardened agents
Of very rough form Of despotism,.
and 1t is to the credit Of an harrled.
and driven people that they constantly
rally ito the breach" opened for them
The figures 1 give here are the lat.
est July 10 relating to the growth Of
the United Irish League. They show
at that date 1908 branches, divided as
follows: Connaught, 3O4; Leinster
Dublin, etc., 1888; Munster, 376; Ul-
ster, 235.
The objects OF the Irish League are
set forth in brief circular before me.
and can be summarized as follows:
Full national self-government; aboli-
ton of landlordism; compulsory pro,
visions for agricultural laborers: cot
tages and one acre allotments, and en-