THE CONDITION OF IRELAND.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.")
the English people ever realize the state of things at present existing in Ireland? I write from a small town —for obvious reasons I cannot give its name—in the Co. Leitrim, where the British Government is now absolutely non-existent. There are no police, the last of the force was withdrawn from the district a month ago, and instead Sinn Fein police—so-called—patrol the town nightly. No Petty Sessions Court is held now, for the good reason that the Resident Magistrate cannot venture into the district, and the local J.P.s have resigned. But the Sinn Feiners are holding their Courts in the former court-house itself, while from the windows of the old police barracks floats the flag of the Irish Republic and the red flag of revolution. For the law-abiding inhabitants of this little town there is now no possible pio- tection should the ruffianly element rise against them. The local bank manager said to me : " We have no one to look to for help should the bank be attacked." Hardly a week passes without robbery of the mails, including hundreds of pounds for the Old Age Pensions, which are replaced time after time by the British taxpayer, who is apparently content to pour his money into the pockets of the Sinn Feiners over here without remonstrance. These robberies of the mails have become so frequent that locally they hardly excite comment, and are only very occasionally reported in the newspapers.
In connexion with Post Office affairs I will give you a small instance of Sinn Fein tyranny. The local postman, carrying' the mailbag, was found reading the newspapers which he should have delivered at their addresses an hour before. He had taken them out of his letter bag and was sitting by the roadside reading. It was suggested to the owners of the news- papers that remonstrance should be made to the local Post Dffice. But the owners declined to take any steps in the matter, as the postman and his family are strong Sinn Feiners, and it would be far too "dangerous " to interfere with them in any way, even though newspapers, and, of course, letters too, are liable to be opened. A reign of terror exists, and what is to be the end thereof? I am asked this question in the house of every loyalist in the district, but I cannot give en answer. As for the Home Rule Bill, it is never alluded to, and its very existence is ignored by Sinn Feiner and loyalist alike. The whole of this locality is suffering now from such a grinding tyranny as has never been experienced before. " We loyalists cannot venture to speak or to act. We have only our thoughts left to us," was said to mo a few days ago, and it is perfectly true. If Mr. Bonar Law would visit this neighbourhood, his known optimism on the Irish question would, I think, be severely tried. Would he be able to give a satisfactory answer to the despairing cry of the poor loyalist living alone amidst a hostile Sinn Fein population: "But what is to become of us? " Over here England is indeed proving herself true to her name of "perfide Albion."--7
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