NEW TIPPERARY.

Evening Star, Issue 9027, 9 January 1893, Page 2

NEW TIPPERARY.

ITS LIFE, DEATH, AND DESTRUCTION, , AN. EDIFYING HISTORY.-, Ti ' ——» •', - ' viqt [Fbom Oub London Cqbs&ipqhdßn!l!^)}o London, November 18. - la the history of the Irish land war there are few chapters richer in folly and shams than those which have to do with the shortlived town of New Tipperary, the deserted shanties of which are now. being razed to the ground, The responsibility of projecting and establishing New Tipperary lies with that crazy fanatio Mr William O'Brien. "None so crazy, aither," remarked a Tipperary boy, heating his erstwhile idol thus designated. "Begorra! ruin and outrage and shame has that same New Tipperary brought to hundreds—aye, hundreds—here, bat I heven't heard ai Billy O'Brien lost a farderi through it." Mr O'Brien is not popular in Tipperary nowadays. Some three years ago (reoalls a looal correspondent) have elapsed since Mr Smith-Barry's tenantry in 1 ipperary entered upon that fierce straggle with their landlord which resulted in the? founding of the new town, It was not that they themselves had any grievance against Mr Smith-Barry; on the contrary, a deputation which they sent to him in the course of the dispute admitted that he had always treated nis people not only with justice but with generosity. Bat Mr Smith Bury had formed a syndicate for the purpose of purchasing the estate of another landlord in another country, who was sore beset by the Plan of Campaign. Mr Gladstone has roundly denounced his "deplorable and exasperating conduct in arresting the settlement of the Ponsonby estate. On the other hand, Mr Smith-Barry has explained from the public platform that a settlement was not imminent, that there was a difference of L 20.000 between Mr Ponsonby and his tenant*, and that the terms proposed by the latter were such as it was impossible to aocept. However that may be, the National League, baulked of an expected victory over Mr Ponsonby, resolved to retaliate upon Mr Smith-Barry io Tipperary in the interests of "their brethren in Youghal." A strike against rent was ordered, and the Plan of Cunpsign ; started, the movement being " organised" chiefly by C inon Keller and Mr WiUiam O'Brien. As nearly all the shopkeepers in tile town also rented large farms io the neighborhood, their intervention in a purely agrarian dispute is less inexplicable than it would otherwise appear.

As it was, however, severe pressure of an intimidatory kind had been brought to bear oq a large number of traders, who naturally were unwilling to see their businesses ruined at the command of some politioal officials in Dublin. Boyootting was resorted to with vigor, windows were smashed, bombs were thrown, and houses were fired into, while the effigies of men who paid their rent were burnt in publio, their names were printed in a "black list" in the Nationalist journals, and pickets were Btationed at their chop doors to terrify intending customer.?. An instance often quoted as showing the nature and consequences of the terrorism employed is that of James O'Neill, a draper in Main street, who paid his rent, but was boycotted and otherwise persecuted for two months until he promised to pay no more and to "go out" voluntarily, thus sacrificing a business worth between LIO,OOOandLU,OOO. A 9 Mr Smith-Barry maintained the contest manfully on his Bide, and persistently evioted tenants who were able to pay but refused to do so at the bidding of the party leaders, the question of rehousing those who were turned ont of their homes soon became a pressing one, It was in this way that New Tipperary came to be built for their accommodation on the. Stafford O'Brien estate, to the west of the old town. Constructed mainly of wood, it was a flimsy sort of place at the best, and those who were coeroed by the League into giving up their oomfortable abodes to live in its icconvenientahantiea soon indulged in murmurs whioh, if not loud, were deep. A brave show, however, wbb made at the formal " opening," whioh took placa on the 12th of April, 1899. The buildings were gaily deoorated with fl>g?, a special train brought down a swarm of Irish members and English visitors, and there was much spsech mikiog of the hfgh fab-tin' order. The practical result of it all, however, must have been profound'y discouraging to the Nationalist leaders. The experiment was necessarily an expensive one, and when the funds beoame low Mr Smith-Barry scored the victory for whioh he had fought with so much pluck and persistence, and upon which he has been complimented in high terms by Mr Balfour. It is to be noted that not even for a time did the League triumph completely. In spite of denunciatory plaoards and the diligent "shadowing" of a vigilanoe committee, many shops remained open in Tipperary during the darkest periods of the last two years, and business was carried on. As for Ifew Tipperary, it is now little more than a name, It 3 inhabitants have for the most part made their peaoe with their landlord, and its melancholy and dismantled condition offers a mournful commentary on the conduct of those who wore tempted or intimidated into setting the obligations of honesty and good faith at defiance in the interests of a body of unscrupulous politicians.