224 A LIFE'S WORK IN IRELAND. 



and so convincing the agitators that something may 

 be got out of him, even if he does put the law in 

 force. 



]\Ir. Fronde's article in the Nineteenth Century 

 for September is as powerful a proof as could be that 

 law and order must be enforced, unless grievous injury 

 is to be done. It is no question of landlords or the 

 House of Lords. The moral mischief that is being 

 done by delay is immense. Let any man of decision 

 be sent to Connaught with the commission of the 

 peace for Galway, Mayo, and Sligo. Give liim the 

 command of the police and as many extra men as he 

 needs. Let his directions be to enforce law and order. 

 He will not have been there a month before Con- 

 naught will be at peace. All that is necessary is 

 that a man of will and brains should be in command, 

 who will not let himself be trifled with. 



But it is impossible that any sudden change for 

 the better can be made in districts that are now bad. 

 The popular cry may be yielded to, no doubt, but 

 tliis will be only laying up worse evils for the future. 

 Concession is sure to whet the appetite for more ; it 

 wdll not remove the evil. The object sought is per- 

 sonal money gain alone. In 1873 I pointed out in 

 the Times that the Land Act had thus only whetted 

 the appetite of agitators. It had satisfied no one. 

 More concession will only add to the same. The ill- 

 habits of the people still in substance exist. It is 

 only as better habits establish themselves that a 



