From Roscommon to Boyle,
across more than one-half the length of this long county, from Roscommon
to French Park, the country is so completely emptied of inhabitants that
one can drive a distance of five miles at once without seeing a human
habitation except a herd's hut. The country is as empty as if William
the Conqueror had marched through it.
Several persons called upon me to give me some information on the state
of things in general. I also received some casual information. One
gentleman of large experience from his position, a person of great
intelligence and cultivation, while utterly condemning the Land League,
admitted that some change in the Land Law was absolutely necessary. He
instanced one case where a gentleman acquired a property by marriage and
immediately set about raising the rent. Rent on one little holding was
raised from L2 to L10 at one jump. In no case was it less than doubled.
This landlord complains bitterly that the people under the influence of
the Land League have turned against him. They used to bow and smile, and
it was, "What you will, sir," and, "As you please." Now they are surly
and sullen and will not salute him.
The farmer who holds a good-sized farm always wishes to extend its
borders and is ready and eager to add the poor man's fields to his own.
Concentration of lands into few hands, reducing small farmers into
laborers, is the idea that prevails largely.
My Athleague friend, a very interesting old gentleman, after mentioning
the great depopulation of Roscommon, spoke of good landlords, such as
Lord Dufresne, Mr. Charles French, the O'Connor Don, Mr. Mapother; but
he paused before mentioning any oppressive ones. "Would his name
appear?" No. His name should not appear. "Well, for fear of getting into
any trouble I will mention no names, but we find that they who purchased
in the Encumbered Estates Court are the most rapacious landlords."
One gentleman, who was representing to me the discouragement given to
improvement, mentioned a case where a person of means who held a little
place for comfort and beauty, but lived by another pursuit than farming,
sought the agent to know if he could obtain any compensation for
improvements which he had made, and which had made his place one of the
most beautiful in Roscommon. He wanted to be sure that he was not
throwing his money away. When he sought the agent on this subject he
found him on his car preparing to drive away somewhere. He listened to
his tenant's question as to compensation for outlay, and then whipped up
the horse and drove away without answering.
I had a call from an elderly gentleman, before I left Roscommon, who
gave me his views on the question very clearly. He thought as God had
ordained some to be rich and others to be poor, any agitation to better
the condition of the poor was sheer flying in the face of the Almighty.
Under cover of helping the poor the Land League were plotting to
dismember the British Empire.
