This fact is conclusively demonstrated by the Government returns.

As to the National League—­with all its paraphernalia of boycotting, shooting from behind a hedge, merciless beating, shooting in the legs, and other similar variations of Irish Home Rule, on which I shall dwell in a later chapter—­being only a protector of the weak tenant against the hard landlord, I think one fact will prove more forcibly than any argument the fallacy of such an assertion.

There were two estates in Kerry let at a much lower rate than any others in the county—­those of Lord Cork and Colonel Oliver.

Colonel Oliver’s agent was the only one fired at in Kerry in 1886, and Lord Cork’s agent was the only one obliged to employ over two hundred police to protect him in endeavouring to recover in 1887 rent which was due in 1884.  This rent was due on land let at considerably under the Poor Law valuation, and the rents were only half what was paid in 1860.

These cases afford a decided proof that the Land or National League carries on its government irrespective of high or low rents, and the ‘Plan of Campaign’ is worked according as the local branches of the League have disciplined or terrorised the inhabitants of a district, the orders from ‘headquarters’ depending on the probability of success.

I should like to retort on Mr. Laing that, while the evidence before the Land Commissioner proved the rental of Ireland was diminishing, that of the country where his own property lay increased to an unusual degree.  I do not say the landlords confiscated the tenants’ improvements, possibly they made none.  But figures are hard facts, and they prove three things:—­

First, that Kerry landlords spent L453,539 on improvements.  Secondly, that the rental of Kerry was lower in 1880 than in 1840.  Thirdly, that the rental of Orkney increased 194 per cent. during that time.

On the south-west coast of Kerry lie the Blasquets, a group of islands the property of Lord Cork, one of them inhabited by some twenty-five families.  The old rental was L80, which was regularly paid.  This was reduced by Lord Cork to L40, the Government valuation being L60.  Now this island reared about forty milch cows, besides young cattle and sheep, and at the period when might meant right in Ireland the inhabitants, having some surplus stock, took possession of another island to feed them on.

This island was let to another man, but he was not able to resist the tenants any more than the mouse nibbling a piece of cheese is able to fight a cat.

For ten years up to 1887 those tenants paid no poor rate.  They successfully resisted the payment of county cess, to the detriment of their fellow taxpayers, and they only paid one half year’s rent out of six, and that not until they had been served with writs.  And these people, in the year 1886, sent a memorial to the Government to save them from starvation.