Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-10

| with present conditions prevailed. "At
Fermanagh the parish priest said that the
consumption of whisky had fallen OF one
| half since the farmers had purcha sed their
own farms. and that the money which
had been spent for drink was now be-
| ing saved for improvements on the farms.
and for better clothes. for implements
and for other purposes, which shows an
increased pride in appearances and a
sense of responsibility.
There is no question but that the
standard of living in every respect has
been raised since the people of ireland
have been allowed to own the farms they
TILL" continued Mr.. Bailey This ap-
pears In their personal appearance as
we'll as in the food provided for their
tables. 1t Is due to the greater self
respect that has been inspired by a sense
of proprietorship. A man who owns his
farm and has permanent right of pos
session that cannot be disturbed for any
reason naturally holds his head higher
and feels greater degree of Importance
than one who pays rent and is likely
to be evicted at any time. Furthermore,
when man realizes that he Is working
for himself he is apt to show more zeal
and energy than when he is working for
some one else.
self-Respect Has Been Elevated.
THE most important and fundamental
benefit that the Irish people are enjoying
from the ownership of their farms is
the elevation of their own opinion of
themselves-the self-respect and ambi-
| ton that proprietor always feels. They
| wear better clothes, they take better
care of their persons, and they require
| better food. On many farms in the west
| of Ireland where the people lived almost
exclusively on porridge and potatoes
| they now use bread, eggs, American
| bacon and tea The American bacon Is
| used in preference to Irish bacon be-
cause 1t contains more fat and makes a
better dish for large family when boiled
with cabbage. The improvement in
clothing occurs simultaneously with the
| improvement in food and farming tools
| and both follow Immediately after the
title to the land is secured. People often
explain that formerly they had to scrape
together every penny to pay the rent.
| but now we can live decently.'
But the sanitary arrangements
throughout western Ireland still need a
| heap is still in unpleasant proximity to
the dwelling place. and the practice of
keeping cattle. pigs and chickens under
the same roof and often in the same
room with the family has not disappeared
| as rapidly as one might hope. We in
spected farm In Mayo where the family
and the cow lived in the same ROOM
but 1t was kept remarkably clean and
tluy. Every part or the eartnon moor
outside the corner that was allotted to
| the cow was carefully swept, and the
dresser the chief article Of furniture
| In an Irish cabin showed taste and neat
ness and was well stocked with very good
china, in which the owner seemed to take
great pride.
When we remarked on the presence Of
| the COW In the cabin, he replied Sure
could not leave the poor animal out in
the cold The tenant purchaser of
In IyN-oy c1,A 1,n<3 -
COW in the house because she could not
AFFORD to erect the barn. and II the animal
died she would be ruined. But the prac-
tice 10 being slowly abandoned, and since
who formally sheltered their cattle. pigs
and poultry in the same dwelling place
as themselves through the long and Sc
we're winters have been building separate
houses for them We were told that this
was the exception before purchase but
now it Is the rule. The tendency is un-
deniably toward neatness. good repairs
and sanitary improvements and, although
1t is slow. 1t is certain.
People Help Each Other.
''The scarcity of farm labor and the
high rates of wages now demanded are
keeping back improvements that farmers
cannot make without assistance, but the
people are beginning to realize the ad-
vantages of cooperation and are helping
each other in such way that it seldom
becomes necessary to call outside labor.
A holding that can only be worked by
the aid of paid labor under present cir
cumstances is not profitable, and a large
farm cannot be worked to advantage un-
less the owner has a son to assist him.
Not only have the wages of farm labor
increased. but its efficiency has decreased.
Hired Workmen now insist upon better
food and better accommodations. This
condition was expressed by an old farmer
in Waterford. when he said: I would
rather have the remains of an old man
than the best grown laborer in the
parish
There was undoubtedly ample room
for improvement in the wages. the food
and the treatment of farm laborers
throughout Ireland. The laborers can
not be blamed for demanding it; but
higher standard in each Of these respects
meant an increase in the cost of cultivat-
ing the soil and a decrease in the profits
of the farmer. The labor situation is due
first to the emigration of the young men
to America and, second. to migration
from the farms to the cities.
Not Hard to Pay for Land.
1.-The estate commission has received
very little complaint of the regulations
which require the punctual payment of
installments and interest money to the
government. Here and there a purchaser
objects, because he has to sell cattle or
make some other sacrifice at an incon-
venient time to raise the money, ana as
serts that under the landlord system he
| would have been allowed time; but such
| instances are extremely rare and very few
persons admit they prefer a private in
| dividual to the government as land
lord. The purchasers Of farms almost
| unanimously agree that their annual in
stallments due the government are very
considerably less than the rents they were
paying. and they now have to sell much
| smaller proportion of their produce than
| formerly to meet the rent. Consequently
| they are not affected by the fuctuation Of
prices of agricultural produce and a con-
| siderable proportion of it is disposed of
| by system of barter with local shop
keepers, who give tea, sugar and clothing
| in return for eggs and butter, which is a
| matter of convenience.
1T Is right and proper that / should
speak of the almost invariable courtesy
+. that has been shown to the commissioners
and our inspectors when we have visited
the farmers" said Mr.. Bailey, in conclu-
sion. Very rarely has any suspicion been
exhibited. and the fullest information has
been given to us. This courtesy and good
| feeling were especially manifested by the
| smaller and poorer farmers in the west
and south of Ireland. There was no spirit
| of cringing or cowardice. Both men and
| W. rrj< NJ ;~a