The Irish standard., 1904-12-10
FAMINE THREATENED.

The attention of the world is again
directed toward unfortunate and un-
happy Ireland. An extensive area Of
the poorest districts in the western
part is now threatened with dire fam
inc. The potato crops, upon which
the people in that portion of Ireland
depend for a living is almost total
failure. The conditions under which
the people in a large portion of Cal
way, Roscommon, Mayo and other
western counties live is almost unbear-
able even in the very best of years.
Under the system of land tenure,
which has been the curse of Ireland
for hundreds Of years. all the fertile
lands have been acquired by Il few
large owners, and converted into graz
ing ranches, forcing the inhabitants of
those districts onto the stony and bar
rem hill-sides or onto the bog lands
which are converted into tillable land
by the slavish toll of the people. From
these lands it has been impossible for
the people, even in prosperous years,
to raise sufficient to pay the rents ex-
acted. The activities of the people are
confined to raising potatoes and feed
ing hogs. The people live upon the
potato crop and also feed their hogs
thereon, depending upon the sale of the
latter to furnish clothing and other
absolute necessities. During the har-
vest time it has been the custom Of
the men folk of these districts to 60
to England and work in the harvest
fields in order to earn sufficient money
with which to pay the rents. This
year has been a bad year in England
as well as in Ireland, and the men
have not succeeded in earning sutfi-
| Gent from their labors in the harvest
fields with which to pay the rents.
The failure of the potato crop has
made it necessary for them to sell
their hogs, there being nothing with
which to feed them.
Correspondents of London news
papers sent to the afflicted districts
have reported great suffering, there
being nowhere throughout these dis
tricts sufficient food to last the people
| until the next crop. In prosperous
years the shopkeepers have been &C.
! customed to trust the peasants for
the neccssaries Of life sufficiently to
carry them through winter season.
These shopkeepers are willing ut the
present time to trust the people, de-
pending upon their absolute honesty
| and thrift, but the resources of the
storekeepers are very limited and are
not sufficient on an occasion like this
to render extensive aid.
Innumerable land laws have been
passed with the promise that they
would relieve the economic conditions
in the congested districts. Much was
hoped from the last land law, but II
has given no relief for the reason that
under its provisions the holders Of the
! rich grazing lands are not compelled
to sell to the peasants. If the suffer
ing In the west Of Ireland shall have
the effect Of riveting the attention of
the English people upon the absolute
I failure of the Dublin castle rule it will
not be in vain. Fortunately there is
growing disposition on the part of
the English people to look upon the
Irish question in dispassionate way.
These ever recurring periods of suffer
ing among the peasantry of Ireland
prove beyond all question that there
can be no prosperity under the pres
ent system Of government. 1t is use.
less to urge that the people themselves
are to blame, for the English CORE
spondents who have gone among the
people have been struck with the thrift
and patience which characterize these
people. One Of these correspondents,
in describing their condition, says:
'The people work like slaves. Men
carry loads Of sea-weeds on their backs
for miles and spread it on the infer.
tile land. The greatest tribute one can
pay to these poor people is to say that
the terrible conditions under which
they lived have not demoralized them.''
Most any other people, lacking the
cheerful and accomplishing nature of
the Irish people would have long ago
! surrendered under the fearful condi.