Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08

HY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Special corresgondenee OF Hsr star ana tue
DUBLIN. July ,. 1%S.
The other day John Redmond created
decided sensation at the annual meeting
Of the Irish allies in England by vehe-
mont attack upon the English Roman
catholics. and when I asked John Dillon.
tho other leader Of the Irish party in
nar,iament, the significance of the Incl
dent he replied:
."rhere is a struggle going on between
the national Irish party and the Engish
tory Catholics as to which will control the
Irish vote in Great Britain. which repre-
sents nearly two millions of people ana
often holds the balance of power in parha-
ment. 1t has had from forty to eighty
seats as the elections happen to go. ana
that may give it the balance OF power
in deciding who shall govern the country.
Therefore. the vote of the 1rishmen IN
England is a matter of vital Importance.
THE Irish party has a perfect organ,-
cation in England" continued Mr. Dillon
eve hold a convention every year ana
appoint an executive committee. which
decides upon the policy to be pursued
and directs the vote of the people in order
to secure the greatest advantage to the
Irish cause. We voted with the liberals
at the last election. but each election we
have no permanent alliance with any
party The English tory Catholics led
by the Duke of Norfolk. are trying to
break up our organization and annex the
great Irish vote in Eng and to the tory
party on the pretext of serving the in
terests of the Roman Catholic Church
We contend that our people can do bet
ter for the church by remaining indie
pendent and throwing their votes where
they will do the most good
recent election in Manchester. where Mr..
Winston Churchill. having given salts
factory pledges on home rule to the ex-
ecutive committee. was entitled to the
irish vote In that constituency. The
Catholic Federation. however made an
appeal in favor Of the church. split the
Irish Catholic vote and lost the election
for our friends by small majority. re-
turning a tory member pledged to oppose
home rule At the recent convention Mr..
Redmond gave them sound scolding. and
a resolution was passed instructing all the
Irish voters In England to withdraw
from the Catholic Federation. which Is
purely a tory concern opposed to the best
interests of Ireland. The Irish priests In
England are all with us: the Irish bishops
at home approve our course. The Catholic
Church I'm Great Britain and the Catholic
Church in Ireland are two very different
affairs.
Program Of the Irish Party.
What is the program of the Irish
party?" asked.
Primarily an independent parliament
and an executive responsible to it in Ire
land: a form of government similar to
that of Canada. except tariff against
British goods. as planned in Mr.. Glad
stones home rule bill many years ago
The next thing in importance is to
grass ranches of Ireland into farms of
moderate size. The conditions in certain
parts of the country are abnornqal. The
best soil is not under cultivation and is
not occupied by population: The worst
soil is the most thickly settled. and ae
want to readjust things and divide up
the ranches and put the population back
upon them where they belong and where
they formerly lived This would increase
we are certain that it will advance the
interests of Ireland and add considerably
to the total income of the country. al
though 1t may not give so large a mar
The owners Of the pastures got rid of
the population that once occupied them
because they found they could secure a
larger profit from the cattle men and col
lect it more easily. Hence they turned
the farmers off and rented the land to
cattle breeders SO that a thousand acres
today may contain only two families
where forty families lived in comfort be-
fore
THE next thing is to pass the Irish
universities bill. which Is now pending,
giving the country two new institutions
for higher education. largely by con-
solidation of existing institutions: one be-
ing under Catholic and the other under
Protestant supervision
Improvement Of the People.
1.-THE land act of 1903 turns out to be
I suggested.
Very much So replied Mr. Dillon
THE people appreciate the benefits of
that act and previous land acts and are
taking advantage Of them almost uni
versally. When we get through, every
farmer In Ireland will own the land he
tills and the home he lives mat least
90 per cent of them-and that fact will
have an inspiration that will uplift the
peasant class enormously. It's great
thing for a peasant to own his home. and
there has already been wonderful i'm
provement In the appearance and the con-
those who occupy them. Hovels are dis
appearing and neat and comfortable cot
tages are rising in their places. The
cattle and pigs and chickens that lived
under the same roof w''n the family are
now being housed In separate buildings
The disorder around the cottages is be-
ing cleared away. The women are MAX
ing gardens. planting flowers and setting
out hedges and are showing feeling of
pride in the tidiness of their homes This
is true in all parts of Ireland. There is
decided Improvement going on in the
appearance of things as we'll DIS in the
material condition of the people l know
OF only few instances to the contrary
Almost every peasant family is eager to
get better home and decent house and
greater comforts. and it Is singular and
gratifying fact that where the people
are taken from filth and squalor and put
into clean and comfortable homes they
appreciate them.
II fully expect that the AGRICULTURAL
products OF Ireland will be doubled in
value and greatly improved in quality
compared with what they were under the
old landlord system. There will be more
diversified farming. The standard of liv-
ing is being raised: the peasants are
using American -four and American ba-
con and are selling their own pigs in the
market because Irish bacon brings a
better price. Oats is the chief crop, how
ever, and cattle.
Financial Difficulties Of Land Com
missioners.
will the financial difficulties Of the
land commissioners be soon removed:
I'VE have committee sitting on that
question now. and hope to work out some.
thing before the adjournment Of the pres
ent session of parliament. The govern
ment has promised general amending