The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-03-07
Mr.. Walter Wellman, Representative o
the Chicago Record Herald,
on Landlordsm.
Has High Opinion of the Statesman Who
Was Sent to Dublin Castle
by King Edward.

emulation Of the people in one form
or another during that century and Il
half? 1t is not difficult to believe that
il the Irish people had had the sound
system Of individual ownership for
one hundred and fifty years after buy
ing off the descendants Of the con-
| querors and contisc;ltors, and had ell
joyed the just reward of their labor
and economy, they would to-day be as
prosperous as the peasantry of France,
fully as conservative in all their re-
| latiOns to government and society,
and vastly more intelligent.
Ireland is a country virtually with
out coal and without timber, and Of
course manufactures could not greatly
thrive. Tillage of the soil was the
chief occupation of the people. AS the
population increased, the area of pro-
ductive land was insufficient to sup
port the people who lived on it. If
they had had no tribute to pay-if
they had owned their lands outright
their lot would still have been sad
enough. But they had to pay the trib-
ute. Worse still, the landlords forced
them to pay every penny which could
possibly be wrung from them. The
land was the only avenue to employ
ment. and the owners of the land took
advantage of the necessities of the
pcople-of the land-hunger which in
cvitably followed. Rents already high
were put higher. With some land
lords, it was simply greed; with others,
it was dire necessity-the necessity
which had been created by the I'M
providence of themselves or their fore
bears. They were in the hands of the
usurers; their fixed charges and fam
lily expenses were enormously high.
They had everything in their own
hands. They controlled the only
means of subsistence and employ
ment. All the civil power was in their
grasp. They We're the magistrates;
they made the grand juries which
managed the affairs of the counties, ut
their beck and call were the constab-
ulary and redcoats. They were the
representatives of the country in Par
lament. They made the laws and Ell
forced them. The English garrison in
Ireland held all the reins of power,
and for centuries their chief activity
was in collecting the tribute. in evict-
ing those who failed to pay, and i'll
furnishing those who kicked against
the priclls. They squeezed the orange
dry, and then wondered why there was
no juice in it, and tried to put the
blame upon the thriftless nature OF
their victims.
But ut last the thin edge of the
wedge of reform had been pushed in
The landlords were no longer absolute
masters. They could not do as they
liked with their own. They could mo-
demand excessive tribute. They cOul(
not push up the rent ON Pats little
patch because lie had. through incred
lille toll, reclaimed Il bit of bog ant
grown Il little larger crop. Soon thu
wedge was pushed a bit further. Uni
| versal suffrage nearly destroyed th'
political power of the landlord class
True representatives of the Irish peo
pie, and not mere creatures of pre-
rogative and privilege. appeared a
7 Westminster. Other land acts wer
2 passed, and 72.OOO tenants enabled t
l purchase their holdings through stat
r aid to the extent of f23.OOOOOt
l Wherever these purchases have bee
D made, thrift and prosperity have fo
!. lowed. and the purchasers have s
. puEctually paid their installments tha
4 the state is not losing penny by tn
: transaction. One could not ask NOR
9 complete refutation of the favort
f argument of the supporters of the LEI
$ alone policy that the Irish peasantr
= are so shiftless and thriftless that
is not worth while trying to do an!
l. thing for them. Experience unde
i limited land-purchase shows conclu.
n lively that, the Irish Deasantry respon
s to all efforts to uplift them, Just a
= they have responded to the cruel sy,