The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28
THE CATTLE WAR IN IRELAND
sEtN> FARMS RAPIDLY GOING
BCk TO SMALL FARMS.
Wor., Disturbances In Athcnry and I.ouwl,-
urs-some Armed Connicts-Thc he
trcynr Estate I'm Rescemmon In Shock.
ing G'ondluO on Making Use Of Peat.

Ing condition Making Use OF Peat.
DUBLIN. July s.--A second tour in the
south and west strengthens the opinion
that the days of the cattle ranchers are
pu,n, cred and that within a measurable
time the vast grass lands will be divided
mn and shared among the people who are
,ow living in the bogs and on poor and TIM
proinctive holdings. Grass farm after
grass farm is being given up. Obeying
the demands OF the people, the graziers are
eitnar abandoning the lands at once or
have given undertakings to surrender them.
The formers have already wen many VIC
tories and they are confident that they will
he successful all along the line. and that the
empty ~prairies Of Red R~oscommon, Sligo,
Mayo and Galway will be peopled with
comfortable farmers in the immediate
future.
one change Of considerable note has
occurred. When thel late Government was in
power a solemn undertaking was given that
I any estate was forced to sale by stress
Of agitation the Land Commissioners would
have nothing TO do with it. The present
Government has altered hat and is pre-
rarcd TO deal Immediately with the cattle
ranches that have been thrown vacant since
the anti-grazing a started. II would take
the entire police force OF all Ireland stationed
in three counties alone to protect the graz
icrs there. m il is recognized by Dublin
Castle that it would be quite impossible TO
stop the war by the use of the ordinary
for @ It the disposal Of the Crown. Hence
drives are of frequent occurrence, and the
landlords and ~Graziers look upon their case
as hopeless and believe that il they stand
ont against the will of the people worse evils
NAV befall them.
The worst districts in the region OF dis
,urbance are Athenry and Loughrea.
where the people do not lose time in talk
ing but set to work in a spirit OF the great
cst determination, Mill the agitators Of
other parts they are not content to drive
the cattle OF the farms but have taken
steps against the herds and the owners
or the stock. The boycott 10 vigorously
applied and within the last few weeks
shots have been fired through the windows
" the dwellings OF men who stand out
against the agitation.
4 few nights ago a body Of cattle drivers
Came into collision with the police in the
dark. the constabulary lying in ambush
10 prevent the drive. At first the people
skirmisled against the constables with
stones and inflicted injuries upon several
II them. Then firearms were brought into
play INC the constabulary replied. The
police did not attempt to make any arrests
and brought tie action to a close by shout
ing to the men that they were committing
IN illegal act by firing upon the officers
# the Crown. The crowd got away in
the dark. having partly succeeded in their
cattle drive. Up to the present the con-
stabulary have taken no action against
hose who were present. although they
say that they know several OF the men.
A few nights ago in The House Of Com
mons the Irish Chief Secretary complained
that the graziers and landlords did not take
sters to protect their own property. l
have been in touch with several important
landlords in the disturbed areas and debated
this point with them. They pretend to see
in the Chief Secretary's words a hint that
they should keep armed parties on their
roperties, and say that the Chief Secretary
must not be surprised in the near future
if he finds the cattlemen shooting into the
crowds and shooting for results.
The writer paid a visit to the % Freyne
estate in Roscommon. This property Of
ord De Freyne is a mere agricultural slum
and the peasants live in the direst poverty
on patches Of bog land which only produces
in response to inoessant hard labor. Il 10
one Of the most congested districts and one
Of tho poorest In Ireland. and three years
ago the Sheriff was busy there evicting
peasants who found IL impossible to pay
their rents. The Government has decided
to take the majority Of the tenants away
from the estate and plant them on grass
t--l- - 49, - p--~--- L..
those whose ~neighbors they are to become
declare that they will not allow this and
will drive them back to ~Frenchpark. Thew
cay they want the LAM for themselves and
will not allow strangers TO com in and
take up any part Of it. This aspect Of the
case gives the Estates Commissioners some
concern.
It would be almost impossible to drive
through a more mournful, deserted and
depressing region than those midland
counties Of brown bog and empty prairie.
Hour after hour one passes along by I'M
drained peat land covered with reeds and
grazing and loaded with stones and nettles.
The fat country stretches from horizon
to horizon, and now and again one comes
to the little white cabin OF the peasant
who works hard day after day on the little
patch assigned to him trying To make
ends meet. At the moment the vast
hogs are dreary wastes save for the bits
Of fuel cut from them by the peasants.
but in the near future they may be the
means Of bringing riches to the country.
4 prospecting party OF German and Irish
engineers are at work on the Bog vi Allan.
lhey say that the generation Of power
from eat has been most successful in Ger
many and that lreland offers greater scoI U
and a promise Of bigger success than has
attended the industry in the fatherluDd.
Accordingly they rave made final arrange
nents TO float a company which will lie
laIScly iinanceI in Germany for the pur-
r"s" Of utilizing the hogs m half a dozen
counties, and they calculate that in addi-
ton 10 the revenue cheap Lower Will
bring ~ the sale Of the ~by-products will
yell considerable wealth.
Regarding the grazing war the Attorney
Hrl"ral has departed from his custom up
o,lc prcscut by .ICsring bills to lie pIe-