The Irish standard., 1902-10-04
A PATRIOTIC pRELArE.
lishep o'Donnelps Views on the Land
~ Problem.

vened by the directory of the United
Irish League was held on the Sth of
September in the Literary Institute,
Letterkenny. There was an immense
attendance of delegates representing
branches of the league in vari Jus parts
Several clergymen We're also present.
The following members of the Irish
party were present: MesSrs. John Dill
Ion, Swift MacNeill, Hugh Law and
Edward McFadden, NJ P.'s The only
parliamentary representative of the
county who was absent was Mn. VIM.
O'Doherty, who sits for the Northern
Division. Most probably he did not
care to meet his constituents after his
coronation experiences. Mr. Dillon
reached Letterkenny in tire afternoon
from Derry. He was met at the Let
terkenny station by the Rev. j. G. Can
non, Adm, Glenswilly, and several Ma
tiOnalists, and was warmly welcomed.
When he and his colleagues arrived at
the convention they We're enthusiastic
caly cheered by tlle assembled dele
gates. The proceedings were olIalac
terized throughout by the greatest ell
thusiaSn and earneStness. The ar
engagements for the convention were
made and admirably carried out by the
Rev. ]. c. Cannon. Adm. Glenswilly,
and the Rev. j. AIccHfferty. county
council, Glenfin.
Monsigncr McCHynn, who was loud
ly cheered, addressed the meeting
briefly, in Irish, and thanked the dele
gates for the honor conferred on him.
Father Cannon then read amidst fire.
quent applause, the following letter
from Most Rev. Dr. O'Domlell, Lord
Bishop Of Raphoe:
Dear Sir-Any project that gave fair
promise OF settling the Irish land
question on just lines would command
my earnest sympathy.
The land question in Ireland has
n,
the most vital reforms. 1t stands in
the way of the education question,
however, illogically, and if it were set
tied tomorrow a united Ireland would
soon settle the national question itself
on the terms of an almost universal de-
mand.
The land question, as left us by
laws made in Westminster, would de-
populate any agricultural country in
the world. For no industry can thrive
that is the victim OF chronic unrest;
and no country can thrive where the
partners in the main industry are
turned into contending litigants. To
Irish agriculture and Ireland herself
the incessant strife between landlord
and tenant is little short of game of
death, and WILL perhaps yet be ac-
counted by the historian as the most
unnatural sport that was ever sane
toned by a civilized government.
The broad issue that all must face
is simple enough. Does anyone sup
pose that agitation will cease until the
0ccupiers are made proprietOrs of their
holdings? Does anyone suppose that
agitation ought to cease while in an
agricultural country vast tracts of
good land do far less to support human
life than poor patches OF reclaimed
bog, the best land maintaining the few
est people? The public god points in
the direction of the popular demand;
and it is 10 answer to say that some
of the new peasant proprietors would
recklessly mortgage their holdings up
to the full value, for wise law should
prevent such an evil bv giving timely
notice that no such mortgage would
be recoverable. ...
The occupation of the grass lands for
tillage purposes seems to me as inev-
table as the conversion of the tenants
into proprletors; and in both cases the
classes that will suffer most by resist
ance to a reasonable measure Of COM
pulsion are the landowners and graz
fers. If compulsory sale has to wait
on n bitter agitation. they, more than
the tenants, will have to pay for the
delay. But both will suffer; and in my
opinion both would do we'll to be earn
est i'm demanding that some Of the
huge Over-taXation Of Ireland should
be made available for speedy solu.
tfon of the Irish land question.
1t has been recently pointed out by O
distinguished Irishman that in the
end it Injuries both sides to fix rent or
the tenants improvements. The Irish
tenant, as a body, are thoroughly hon
est; and If justice were done the c,ll
Hvators in this matter Of improve
ments there would he 10 more sym
pathy with a scheming tenant thar
with an evicting landlord
Over-taxation, depopulation, whole
sale evictions, confiscatfon Of improve
ments, coercion, the land question un
settled and every reform delayed, ar
the noxious fruits Of the government
OF Ireland from without. Tint on
people are crimeless under the oper,,
ton of such an evil system is no sligh
evidence of their capacity to practic
the restraint that becomes the exercis
Of self goverment.