The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-04
BY ZACH McGHEE.


 as heretofore stated. Blfast IS one of the most prosperous cities of the old world. and the farming popu- lation of north Ireland generally .nong the most prospefous. 1t Is not to be supposed that there are no poor Tn Ireland Because In It's outward ap- pearence and in its figures a community as flourishing is not Co be taken 10 mean that all the people share In IL. and that there are nv such things os poverty, hunger, and rags and misery, any more in Ireland than In America.
 There are rags in Belfast and In Dup lin, just as there are m New hoEk. Philadelphia and in Washington. Un- fortunately. many of our people look for the ruins and the rags when they come abroad. never looking for them or at them at home. These European "slums" are famous. and they say they are the worse in some of the cities on the continent of Europe--w by the way, they have protective tariff than here: but 1 hope they are ms taken. for the slums of Dublin are pau enough, certainly dirty enough--almost if not quite. as bad as the negro quart CTS in some of our American towns, the negroes corresponding to th.s sium and peasant class in Ireland. YOU can find pretty much everything you LOOK Tn aDlR CIIy, at icihC abroad. Travellers on holidays. usually look for the picturesque, and the guides take them to the slums. Dublin's siuns are cdose at hand, lying so close 10 Sackville Street, where the hotels are situated, that a visitor has but to walk few blocks to come right Into the rags and filth and thousands Of peo- pie living low miserable lives.
 Dublin is far different sort of city from Belfast in less prosperous. less active industrially. has far more pau pers more filth and rags in evioence, its buildings are older and shabbier, generally speaking, and it's people gen orally not so well off. Neither are the farmers and the farm laborers in south ern Ireland so we'll to do as those In northern Ireland. But they are both in Ireland, you know, under the same laws and tn same ecomic opportunities.
 The difference is in the people.
 In the north are the "Scotch lrish, the same element which has been such a great factor in building up the m dustries and the civilization or America.
 The north of Ireland Is where they come from. South Ireland is the home of the Pats the Moikes and the Happy Hooligans, and these three illustrations gentlemen are still doing business here at the same old stand. These, by the way. belong to that picturesqueness which American tourists like to see and go home to tell about. The enterprlsing. husky, hustling Scotch -blooded lrisn- man of the north Is not so interesting to holiday makers but he's the fel- low and his works to point to when you talk about the opportunities In a coun- try.
 The conditions among the farm la borers especially in the south. seem to be about on a par with those or our Southern negroes, although the "lowiy matched cottages" are better. more comfortable and heater looking than the negroes cabin. But as the negroe condition Is improving economically since his releace from slavery--that Is. in those communities where he is allowed to work--so the Irish pea sents condition Is steadily improving and he Is being gradually released from the slavery of the landlord.
 With all the interesting things In Ireland. the land question is still the most interesting as 1t is the most i'm nortant It is doubtless somewhat as- founding to many Americans to know that the government in Ireland has taken direct control over more than one half the lands of the Island. rent ing 1t or selling 1t on installment plan to tenants. And If you sneeringly re- mark to them that this is that dread thing "socialism." which 1t undoubtedly is. they don't care at all. but merely rttrr cut tfe in Iuoven ent II is working in the condition of the farm CT and working class. Funny people these!
 '"The earth Is the Lords--not the iandlord's" was one of the conspicuous signs in a monster parade l witnessed in Edinburg a few days ago.
 It was a demonstration in favor Of the Government at London to tax all "RFpak the land trust" Free Land. free trade. free men," Peers keep off the grass" Less pleasure ground, more treasure home," were notices displayed.
 What has borne down the people of England and Scotland as well as Ireland, sent hordes of unemployed to the city to make up such appalling slums as one can see about Dublin and London is the enormous rent the land lords have been holding up the people for farm lands. I saw farm lands In Scotland on which a farmer could