Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1846-09-30
ABSENTEEISM.

Absepteeism is one of the evils under which OPP
pressed Ireland groans; an evil inseparable from
state of Colonial or Provincial dependence en- me-
tropotan city or State. By Absenteeism in Ireland
il meant the non-residence the island of the large
propretors of the SOIL the landlords who, attracted
by the splendor of London and the British Island,
make these their places of residence IN preference To
the provincial obscurty consequent upon remoteness
from the seat of wealth and power. The unavoida-
bic result of this is that all the nett products OF Ag
ricutura labor in Ireland, instead of beng employed
at home to increase the aggregate capital OF the Is
land to be expended in Improvement, and to promote
the happiness of the people, is carried to England to
add to the already unbounded wealth OF the proprie
tors and to swell the revenues of the arlstocracy.-
To this more than any one thing else does ireland
owe her debasement. The average worth OF the use
of money, as indicated by legal rates of interest a
mong different states may be assumed to be SIX per
cent 1t is but reasonable to suppose that some
equality prevails between money lent and money IN
vested in land and labor if SO, the bulk OF all labor
with the exception say of six per cent, is expended
in keeping from retrograding. The small pttance
of six per cent is all that can be called gain. 1t is all
upon which we can depend for improvement. Now
let that small sum be subtracted from the earnings OF
people, and they cease to progress. Indeed, we
believe that this estimate is too high for even our own
highly favored land, much more thnn for degraded
Ireland. This is just what "absenteesm" does
In the shape of rent to distant landlord 1t comes ano
takes from the agrculturst every penny beyond what
is absolutely necessary to keep him from actual star
walton and save the land from deterioration, leaving
nothing for improvement, nothing for progresson-
In such state OF things, we never see the howell dis
placed by the farm house, the log cabin by the brci
dwelling, or the matched roof giving way to SLATE
or shingles. This is Absenteesm. Now, if we wer
TO stop here, all would acknowledge the evil OF tn
system of which we speak, but five go on, we douo
mot we shall in ten sentences more raise an opposl
lion in the breasts of three fths of all who trouble
themselves to read this article. But 60 on we shall
nevertheless: We say, then, that several thrifty
sprgs of this baleu has already taken deep roo
among US. Does any one ask wherel Asa notabh
example we point to the eagerness shown by grea
part Of our people to encourage the manufactures
foreign nations to the exclusion of our 1t is al
uupardonable sin for an American manufacturing
company to declare dividend, no matter how sinai
hut no one inquiries how much profit is made by tn
English manufacturer. If American stakeholder
are not ipouerished by their enterprise, they are en-
v;o,,.v STYLED "Iords of the Ioom," while real Engls
4ords' become, without regard to their wealth, wor
tbv the exclusive patronage Of the American ode
mocracy.n That in tbs judicious pursuit OF manu-
featuring there Is profit we cannot doubt; 'ner