The Irish standard., 1903-01-03

III letter from IAllow, County
Waterford, Ireland, Mr.. Guy Cramer,
special correspondent Of the Chicago
Tribune says in part:
The boycott as it is applied in Ire
land may be cruel. 1t is. There can
be not the least argument to the con-
trary. Business ruin, family suffering,
even starvation, have been the marks
along it's course. But the Irish ten
ants have learned that, If their cries
are ever to be heard, they must use
the fighting power which comes to
their hands.
Ireland created the boycott and gave
that method of warfare it's name. The
lrishman has been taught by Eng
lands course Of government that any
nmeloration OF existing conditions
Must be secured, even though the re-
lief has been but the smallest, by force
or illegal acts. The laws in the main
which govern Ireland were enacted for
the landlords benefit; not for the
PEASANTS good.
What terrible effect hoycottng may
carry is found in the town of rnIlow, :,
four mile drive from the railway sta
tion at TallOw road. More than twenty
years ago the trouble had It's source,
though the more important chapters of
! the struggle have been enacted within
the last three years. A determined
| fight has been kept up on one business
man who, with much justice Oh his
sidc bought the acres from which Il
family had been cvictcd. This mans
business has been ruined. The town
has been under police rule. During
recent months you meet more policemen
in the deserted streets than civilians
The town, which had a population of
near 10 0, is now being practically
sold at auction. Its business has been
killed. The streets Mt monday have
taken the appearance of n cemetery
Poverty has raised its head. Families
have been compelled to move away
Commercial travellers never 20 near tho
place now, while Il few years ago II
was n thriving business center. The
town Is dead. Its life has been killet
out, and all by the boycott
When the Irisl, peasant turns tn
boycott on his foe there is seldom an,
quarter. There Is one act he Will no
forgive. If a newcomer takes up th'
holding from which tenant has bccl
cvictcd without making Il full nn'
most liberal agreement with the cvict
cd man for his tenant right-:l righ
which the landlord does not alWny
rccognizc-that man is marked to be
come pariah. His ncighbors pas
him on the highway without a word o
greeting. They refuse to speak to hin
ut church. His children are jccrc,
at ;ls the children of a Gland grabbcr'
If they 80 to the national schools. l
a member OF the family dies no on
illcnuS the lllllcf;I. n man VINO J
hit by tho boycott becomes an outcast
lie is ostrncizcd under an un,yrlttc
rule which Is unrclenting.
If he trades at store, that store j
marked and customers 90 elsewhere
The stOrckccpcr must refuse to sell I
the pariah or suffer loss of trade. l
, the Ostrncizcd farmer drives his cattl
TO the weekly market he must driv
them home again, for no one will bu
them. His pigs, his poultry, hi
produce come under the same ban. 1
{ a storcNccpcr supplies the provision
: TO the police or emergency men VIII
) are guarding evictc1 holdings he feel
the force of the peoples opinion. II
loses his customers at once.
( The system is cruel, it is unjust, br
it is the weapon which circumstance
| have produced for the Irish pcasar
| who is under the crushing weight Q
, landlorlism. Technically it is dc
, tended on the ground that all peopl
| have the right to determine OH zen
= elusive dealing" Irish leaders poil
e out that the same thing is done anon
members of labor unions in the Unite