The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-31
JOSEPH DEvLIN
 TELLS SORROWS
 OF THE IRISH
More Than $500 Is Subscribed to Help Cause of the
 Nationalist Party
THEATRE IS CROWDED
 TO HEAR THE SPEAKER
Irish Member of Parliament Grows Eloquent ms He Tells of Oppres- sion of His People--Intro-
 duccd By Gov. Conner

Hon. Joseph Devlin, member of par liament from West Belfast, Ireland, was greeted by large audience at the Ma jestic theatre yesterday afternoon. who caught a widespread enthusiasm from the noted statesman's address, in which he recounted the wrongs of Ireland incl dental to the final great struggle the Irish people are making for home rule.
 MT. Devlin met with more than a sym pathetic response to his appeal for aid to the cause of Ireland A subscription was made after the close of his speech, which is estimated between s15oo and 5000, and this is to be used as campaign fund with which the nationalist party hopes to defeat the organ of the land- lord class, the London Times, in the general election January next.
 The meeting was presided over by Judge Oscar R. Hundley, who, first pay ing a beautiful tribute to the Emerald Isle, famed in song and story for It's poets. orators and patriots" next stated the two-fold object of the gathering, which he said, was to hear the address of a noted statesman in behalf of popu- lar government, which he represents In his own country, and to learn of the conditions there in order to give more practical encouragement to the plans of MT. Devlin. Judge Hundley then called upon Governor Conner to introduce the speaker.
 Governor Conner Talks
 Governor Conner spoke briefly of Ire lands place in the history of the world, saying that since he was boy he had always had a sympathy for the Irish nation which had furnished men to fight the battles of every country, and that he had long been familiar with the debts we owe to the heroes that have glori- fled the name of their native country. In connection with the grievances which the Irish have against the English, Gov ernor Conner said: "So imbued Is their spirit against oppression that the minute they set their foot on the soil of a new continent they say, Were agin the gov ernment.'"
 MT. Devlin prefaced his speech with high praise for Birmingham, because of her wonderful progress during the eight years since he last made visit to this city, and said that he could not help but feel "the extraordinary combination of civic beauty and commercial progress that had taken place during his absence. You rival, if you do not excell the Pitts xt.. cotI noted TrtEh orator.
 Evfcted From Home
 When a boy years of age MT. Devlin said he had witnessed the eviction of his own people from their home, and their house burned, and 1t was then he had begun to feel an inspiration to right the wrongs of his native land.
 Flight years ago." said MT. Devlin, 1860 landlords owned the land occupied by 100000 people, and practically con- trolled the soul and body of the Irish. Balfour says 1t was the most accursed system on earth. A farmer who had made improvements in the soil, and who had even paid his rents up to the time, might be evicted by the caprice of whimsical landlord.
 'erhe Irish.'' said MT. Devlin, have been spoken of as a drunken race. You can not expect a people to be sober and self-respecting when an alien landlord, blood of all they create.
 During the last few years, however, MT. Devlin said, conditions have been changed for the better, and today the efforts of the Irish national party, 36o tenant farmers are their own landlords, while two-thirds of all the lands have been transferred to the tillers of the soil, and in five years, the whole system which hung with horrors over the Irish people will have been lifted, and then Ireland will have come into an era of prosperity, with her peasontry owning their own land. and tilling their own soil.
 Tenants Own Farms
 .In the last five years 5000 out of 1000 of the evicted tenants who had been cast upon the roadside, or lived on lonely hovals, or had gone to the man. ufacturing centers of England, or had migrated to America, have been rein stated on their farms. They had never ceased to long for their homes and tn cir little farms, and now since their rein statement, they are paying an annuity which amounts to half what they form- erly paid as rent. The landlords are being evicted today. the idlers and drones of society, while the workers and toilers are coming into possession of their own again.
 After having completed It's primary object of restoring the tenants to their soil, the Land league is now taking up the problem of the agricultural labor CTS, and over 50,000 novels, which were the breeding places of all kinds of dis eases, have been replaced with five room cottages, containing an acre plot in their rear, and a flower garden in front, housing altogether a quarter of q million people. The whole spirit and life of the people have been changed. as can be seen In the bright and happy faces of the little children, the open countenances of the fathers, and the happy faces of the mothers.
 ''The old condition has been broken up." said MT. Devlin, "by statutory laws which have compelled the landlords to break up their immense pastures and land who darkened our intelligence and then scoffed at our ignorance said the speaker, as he analysed the epithet Ignorance which the English so often apply to the Irish.
 Population Decreased
 During 100 years of rule .! the Eng fish the population of Ireland had de- creased from 9.000.000 to 5.000,000 in habitants One of the greatest triumphs of the present generation was the in stitution of the old age pensioners 5 shillings per week. or 10 shillings per uo ,,ar notr is mansion, Uro n fad