The Washington herald., 1909-02-28
irish RIOTS OCCUR
Question of Home Rule As
SumeS Serious Aspect.
CIVIL WAR IS THREATENED
Situation IN Emerald Isle Is Likely
to Cause Great Row in Parliament
During Present Session-FIghts Are
of Common Occurrence in Ireland,
and Hundreds Have Been Injured.

London Feb. 27.-Ths situation in Ire
land is going to cause a tremendous row
In Parliament before the current session
Is finished Though II Is but q few days
since the House reassembled following
the holiday recess, the issue has already
been raised in several debates. and as the
legislators get regularly settled down to
business, the controversy seems certain
&c grow steadily bitterer
Conditions on the Emerald Isle are ad-
mittedly gTaver than they have been since
the turbulent times Of Charles Stewart
Parnel The individual outbreaks have
been hardly large enough TO attract wide
spread attention. taken separately, and
the result is that. even in England. their
collective seriousness has hitherto been
hardly appreciated.
Almost Civil War.
Il can be understood. however. that
something very nearly approaching TO
civil war Is raging when il is considered
that.
The boycott has been developed TO a
point where blacblisted landlords are
compelled 20 open stores on their prem
ises TO save their employees from actual
starvation.
Those against whom the people have
declared war must secure even the com
monest necessaries OF life from outside
the country. because no Irish tradesman
dare supply or even speak 70 them.
Boyc9tted men and women cannot stir
from their homes except under armed
guard.
Several riots have reached such pro
portions as TO end In the capture Of
whole villages by the rioters and their
defense for days against desperate at
tscks by the semi-military organization
known as the Royal Irish Constabulary.
Cattle drives" are Of nightly occur
renee.
Hundreds have been seriously injured
on both sides in the constantly occurring
fights
Killings have been Singularly few. con
BideTing the savage character OF many Of
the engagements, the case of Constable
Goldrick, who was shot dead late IN
January while endeavoring 10 disperse
mob near CreughWell. being the only one
N the last few months
Question Is Complicated.
pliCated. with its various developments
and changes in the laws. that even those
who have devoted themselves 10 its
study for a lifetime are hardly able 10
explain II inteiligently 10 outsiders.
Broadly speaking. however. II Is the old
fight on the peoples side. TO secure con
troll, by lease or purchase Of enough of
the land 10 support them; on the land
lords part 70 keep the most and best OF
Il for themselves
The comparatively recent acts OF Par
lament designed 10 end the difficulty by
providing for government loans 10 farm
ers desirous Of acquiring small holdings
for themselves has proved almost a To-
tai failure Either the large landlords
have refused altogether to reIinouish land
that the prospective purchasers cOnsid-
cred worth cultivation. OF one side or the
other mas refused 70 accept the price fixed
by the arbitration boards created under
the law 70 adjust the financial aspect OF
such transactions.
Disappointment over the unsatisfactory
working OF the law has aggravated the
long-existiug friction between landlords
and tenants Rent payments have been
coTrespOndingiy numerous, and. In hun
dreds Of instances, the disguised owners
have thrown groups Of small farms 70
gether and leased them as single tracts
10 large cattle rsiseTs for grazing pur-
POSES.
This revived the cattle driving and
the mutilati0n Of live stock The land
lords retaliated by wholesale arrests and
the employment Of strong forces of
guards who fought the raiders fiercelv
al every opportunity. Boycotting. as
saults. and arson cases multiplied. Dv-
namite has been used in a few instances
recently
The situation is not new but il Is I'm
mensely worse at present than for years
past.
Situation Grows Worse.
The Irish members Of the House Of
Commons attribute the increasing seri-
business 20 the cumulative effect OF the
successive failures OF England's s11bsfi-
tutes for home rule They NAV be tenn
pOrarly improved as paIliatives are tried
the Irish leaders say. but The general
tendency viii be toward troubles OF ever
greater gravity so long as the island IS
denied control OF its own afairs-home
rule is the only permanent remedy.
The English conservatives and the Irish
landlord class declare the difficulty solely
due to the gradual elimination o. stern
repression under the administration OF
Secretary Birrell. the cabinet official
charged with the management OF the gov
ernment's Irish policies BirrelI's view
has been that cOnsiderate and liberal
treatment OF Ireland would accomplish
more than severity. He has been re-
sponsible for the repeal Of many opures-
sive laws, especially the act prohibiting
the possession OF arms by the Irish peo-
PIE, and for an uuprecedentedlv mild
administration Of those which remain on
the statute books.
Violence Seems Natural.
a percentage OF the Irish delegation
IN Parliament openly defends violence
IN Ireland's campaign against the Eng
lish. A more moderate element. without
actually UphoIdiag It. declares If the
natural OuiCOnfe Of the governmental
system under which they say the island
Is suffering. Even those who. in private
conversation. deprecate Iawbreaking re-
frain from expressing themselves 70 such
an effect n the House OF Commons.
The recent Nationalist cOnventio, AZ
Dublin proved nothing but that. divided
into bitterly hostile factions among them
selves the people are united II their de-
termination 70 wage unending wa
against England until the right is con
ceded them 10 manage t,4eir home affairs
free from outside interference.