Thus, the famous reductions in County Clare, where the abatements granted averaged over 30 per cent., and in some cases exceeded 50 per cent., were not perhaps all a sign of the landlord’s iniquity, but also may be taken to show something of the tenant’s indifference.  Poverty is pitiable, truly, and it claims relief from all who believe in the interdependence of a community; but poverty which comes from idleness, unthrift, neglect, and which then falls on others to relieve—­these others having to suffer for sins not their own—­how about that as a righteous obligation?  Must I and my children go foodless because my tenants will neither till the land they hold from me, so as to make it yield their own livelihood and that profit over which is my inheritance, nor suffer others to do what they will not?  If we are prepared to endorse the famous saying:  “La propriete c’est le vol,” well and good.  Meanwhile to spend all our sympathy on men who reduce themselves and others to poverty by idleness and unthrift, seems rather a bad investment of emotion.  The old-fashioned saying about workers and eaters had a different ring; and once on a time birds who could sing, and would not, were somehow made.

Co-incident with these conditions of no rent at all—­reduction of rent all round—­and the free purchase of land by those who yesterday professed pauperism, is the startling fact that the increase in Bank deposits for the half-year of 1889 was L89,000—­in Post Office Savings Bank deposits L244,000—­in Trustee Savings Banks, L16,000.

Mr. Mitchell Henry, writing to the Times, says:—­“If any one will tell the exact truth as to Irish matters at this moment, he must confess that landlords are utterly powerless to coerce their tenants; that the pockets of the tenants themselves are full of money formerly paid in rent; that the price of all kinds of cattle has risen largely; that the last harvest was an excellent one; and that the banks—­savings banks, Post Office banks, and ordinary banks—­are richer than they have ever been, whilst the consumption of whisky—­that sure barometer of Irish prosperity—­is increasing beyond all former experience.  In addition to this, I venture to say that, with certain local exceptions, the Irish peasant is better clothed than any other peasants in the world.  The people are sick of agitation and long to be let alone; but they are a people of extraordinary clannishness, and take an intellectual delight in intrigue, especially where the Saxon is concerned.  British simplicity is wonderful, and the very people who have put on this cupboard love for Mr. Gladstone and his lieutenants, whom they formerly abused beyond all decent license of abuse, laugh at them as soon as their backs are turned.”