The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-17

leased in small holdings, averaging
not more than twenty-eight acres TO
farm. The soil in most places is
thin, and the rainfall so heavy that
not much grain can be raised. Most
Of the country is given over to
grassland, more than in any other
part Of Europe. In consequence cat
tle-raising and dairying are wide
spread. Eggs, milk and cheese are
exported to the London market.
Potatoes are the staple crops and
food Of the peasantry. and the years
of potato blight have always been
years Of famine. The climate makes
the raising of flax profitable, and
much Of the north is given over to
this crop which partially supplies
the linen manufactures of Belfast.
There is almost no iron or coal in
the country and little water-power.
This had proved a great handicap,
but nevertheless for a century past
there has been a development of in
dustry, and the busy linen and ship
building industries of Belfast are
world famous.
The basic economic trouble OF Ire.
land has been that it has never had
the agricultural or mineral resources
to support a large population. The
peasant has lived close to the mar
gin Of existence and has never been
able to hope that he could be much
better Off Until a recent date he
has received little sympathy from
his landlord. who often lived a long
way Off in England and was chiefly
interested in getting as much rent
from his estates as he could.
The Tudor sovereigns began in the
sixteenth century the policy Of en-.
larging English influence by settling
large plantations" of English and
Scots in Ireland. dispossessing the
Irish tribesmen from their land and
driving them into the west. Fur
Their dispossessions went on under
the first Stuarts, and whole tracts
of north Ireland were taken from q
desperate peaSantry to be given to
Scottish intruders. Then, when
Charles OF England had his hands
full with the mutinous Long Par
lament Ireland rebelled and put to
death thousands of Protestant set
tiers Q64D. Oliver Cromwell recon
quered the country and his name
remains a byword there More land
was taken from the peasants to be
distributed among the English.
The last part Of the nineteenth
century saw beIated effort on the
part of English statesmen to undo
old wrongs IN Ireland. A law passed
by Gladstone QS69, forced the Eng
lish church in Ireland to give up
its position as a state church. The
rights Of tenants were safeguarded
and money was spent freely to de.
velop the resources and farming of
Ireland and to enable the peasants
to purchase their holdings. In 1898
the conservative party gave Ireland
a great measure Of local self-govern.
ment, and many other measures
helped to improve social and
economic conditions.
After lengthy negotiations between
Sim Fein shin fan, meaning our
selves alone,"O delegates and Nom.
bers Of the British cabinet a treaty
was signed dec. 6, 1920. eivins
Southern Ireland full dominion
status in the British Empire, under
the name Of the Irish Free State
This treaty was duly ratified and
the Irish Free State was formally
inaugurated Dec 6, 1929. De Valera.
the Sim Fein president, refused to
recognize the new government ana
began a civil war. In this struggle
many leaders on both sides were as
sassinated, or executed, among them
Michael Collins. chairman of the
provisional government.