Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1939 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Evening Herald, 28.04.1939

Sir. May I, through the courtesy of your paper, reply to a letter published in the Saturday Herald, April 22, 1939, and signed by “P. J., Claremorris, April 20, 1939”. In justice to the farmers of Eire, I feel it my duty to challenge this slander, for such it is, and I would begin by asking “P. J.” is he prepared to prove his statements by giving his full name and address through the Press. He stated in his letter: “The farmers of this country are a lazy lot. They won’t pay their bills; they won’t pay rates or land annuities – in fact, they won’t pay anything.” I have been before the Banking Commission and heard it stated there by English bankers that they looked on the Irish farmers as most honourable clients. “P. J.” says he is a cattle dealer and shopkeeper. Will he state publicly the profit he made on the numerous cattle export licences he obtained, even during the period when the farmers were debarred from getting licences, because farmers were not exporters? When the burden of the Economic War was thrown on the farmers and they had to sell their stock at less than a third of their value, did “P. J.” give the farmers from his shop a stone of sugar or a pound of tea at half-price, or what did he contribute to the national Economic War? I feel sure the farmers of Mayo will very much resent his accusations, and will dispose of their stock to some dealers other than “P. J.” in future, and will find a more sympathetic shop to purchase their groceries. The farmers, through their demonstration in Dublin, have unmasked the skeleton.