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Bush Advocate, Volume XVII, Issue 5, 7 January 1905, Page 2

A section of Ireland is suffering from what is akin to a famine— a partial lailura of the potato crop, and the world has not heard much of ifc. The greater part of Ireland is, on the other hand, rejoicing in a degree of activity and prosperity not known for the last thirty years, and the world is only beginning to hear of this by instalments. The old anti-Irish feeling is rapidly disappearing, and correspondingly the old i anti-English jet-ling is also disappearing. England and Ireland are drawing closer together, and the j cause is to be traced to various i things— the pacific attitude of the] Royal Family, the manifest desire on the part of the British Parliament to confer contentment and prosperity on tha Irish peasantry, aad the quick recognition oh the part of the Irish generally of the j increased good feeling. Also, there ! is another cause, something which ! springs from all these- the greater activity 'of the people due to a greater demand for Irish goods, renewed interest in Irish manufactures, and the investment as a consequence of more capital, resulting in wider employment. It was aWaysi said by the inspired section of British politicians that ! Irish grievances, if ever they were j redressed at ail, would Le rectified j ' by tbe Conservatives and not by the Liberals, and though no doubt the j Gladstone movement proved a tre meudous impetus to amelioration, i the truth of the forecast has been abundantly demonstrated. The main thing of course which has given Ireland a hope in the future is the Irish Laud Bill, a great statesmarlike measure which is accredited to Mr Wyndhara, who successfully explained and piloted it through the House. Although, however f it was the (statesman named who was responsible for the visible part of the success of the Bill as known at Westminster, it was quite another baud who suggested its provisions and brought it to a state of completeness. This was Sir Antony Patrick Macdounell, an Irishman of Irishmen, who was deputed to model the measure and to give the Government his re*eon3 for advancing it as a beneficent piece of National legislation. This he did as the UnderSecrfttary of State for Ireland, a position to which he was dppointed scleiy as the result of his knowledge of Irish affairs and his genius for solvihg difficult problems involving the happiness and prosperity of five million people. It is generally allowed that the ability he exhibited in this was of a transcendent character, such for instance as would have made the name of Mr Glad- ' stone ring had the same measure ot amelioration gamed the impress

of his magical sanction. Even in | the greatest affairs of life popularity counts for much and public opinion was ever uncertaiu, going as it does to extremes on one occasion and remaining quiescent on another, although this is^of just the same importance. As an example, if " Home Eule " were proposed now by the Balfour Government under the name of "Local Government" it would probably not excite more than ordinary comment, whereas, as we know, when it was the question of the hour by the Liberals, it convulsed the entire English-speaking world. Thus it is that legislation is often moulded, good or bad measures being deemed imperative or unnecessary merely in order to satisfy a clamourous opinion formed a? often as not on imperfect premises, and similar measures being adopted or neglected due simply to the cessatiou of public interest, which, like a flame, has burned itself out. Sir Antony Patrick Macdonnell, who framed the Irish Land Bill when itfi supporters were too unenthufciastio to approve overmuch and its opponents too much concerned with other matters to obstruct overmuch, is an Irish landlord who was born in vjounty Mayo in 1844. Twenty years later he entered the Bengal Civil Service by competition, and twenty years later again h-j was appointed one of the secretaries to the Government of the Bengal Province. Since thut time he has served the State in many capacities — as Chief Commissioner of I3urmah and of the Central Piovinces, and as Lieutenant-Go vernor (first of the North West Provinces and Oudh, and latterly of Bengal), during which he was a member of the Indian Council. When it was realised that India was «• the most distressful country that ever yet was seen " during the recsnt terrible famine, it was Sir Antony who was appointed head of the Commission selected to inquire into the visitation and report as to the best means of dealing with its honors. His magnificent report was the outcome of day-and-night w oik in this direction, and the result of acting upon it was to save India a single unnecessary hour's tribulation, &ad to rescue hundreds of thousands of people from want and starvation. As far back as 1893 the brilliant Irish-Indian Councillor was giveu the Knighthood of the Star of India, and for his work in connection with the famine he was elevated to the select circle which owns the Grand Cross of that exalted order. Iv his present position Sir Antony Macdonnell is practically the head of the entire Civil Service of Ireland, and it is to him that the British Government is looking for the final solution of Irish troubles.