The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1880-10-13
Why Ireland is Poor.

To those shallow philosophers who
maintain that over-population is n Of
the causes of industrial depression, the
case of Ireland during the past year
should be a final answer. During the
twelve months ending June 80, Ireland
lost by emigration to all parts of the
world half a million of people. AS a
result of this extensive emigration
A, 1909 acres of land went out of cult
walton and into pasturage. From this
increase of pasturage it might be sup
posed that an increase of grazing stock
would follow; but such is not the case.
On the contrary, according to the Dub
lin Farmers Gazette, the decrease in
the number of animals has been as fol-
lows: Horses, 1881; asses, 1884; cat
tie, JAG, 552; sheep, 56,542; pigs, 223,-
lS9; goats, 1875; poultry, a56,lo6.
Ireland was richer with a population
of 5000, 900 than it is now with apopu-
lation of 100000. That country is
richer o with a population of $780,
GOO than it will he in the course of time
with a population of 5000, 600; and,
with the same course of industrial de-
cadence in progress, that unfortunate
country will be poorer still when the
population consists of l,50O,0 600 herds
men, looking after the fattening of cat
tie for the English market.
The poverty of Ireland does not pro-
coed from the lack of natural resources.
Water power is abundant, harbors are
numerous and safe, the soil is fertile,
minerals are found in great quantities
beneath the soil, the climate is salubri-
Gus, and the people are among the most
laborious in Europe. Nar was the ruin
of Ireland wrought on the battlefield,
save in so far as political dependence
leads naturally to industrial oppression
and decay. In the industrial history
of Ireland there is a lesson for all ma
tons whose commerce and manufac-
lures are struggling into existence in
opposition to the insidious policy of
foreign countries, their pauperized Ia
Dor, their vast aggregation OF capital,
and peculiar adoption of machinery.
The history of Ireland's industrial
downfall is, briefly, as follows: Henry
II. invaded the country, but the con-
quest was in no sense complete until
the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The con-
fscations of land that occurred at
various times disturbed the tenure of
the native p]roprietors and led to social
disorder, but under owners the
productiveness of the soil would heal
the wounds in the course of a few gen.
erations, if the natural course of events
in trade, commerce and manufactures
was allowed to prevail. The first dis
elimination against Ireland was pro-
hibiting the expectation Of cattle to
England, lest the British stock raiser
be beaten down in his price by Irish
competition. The same discrimination
is now made against the importation of
American cattle in England, but under
q different pretext although the reason
is precisely the same. This prohibit
ton of cattle export, however, proved
eventually advantageous to the Irish,
since it threw them upon the industry
of raising sheep and manufacturing
wooden goods, in which they excelled
their English neighbors and undersold
them both in England and on the con-
tinent. But upon the accession of
William III. the expectation of wooden
goods TO England was discouraged by
a tariff which was at first onerous and
finally prchibitory. Later, the expor-
tatiou of raw wool was prohibited from
Ireland to France or Germany, since
the cheap and superior wool OF that
country enabled the French and Ger
man manufacturers to compete with
some degree of success with the a
facturers of Great Britain. These laws,
however, were not easily enforced;
nineteen Of the tn rty-two counties of
Ireland are maritime and the snug
Cling of wool to France and of brandy
and wine from that nation to pay for
the wool, in the absenceo OF an abundant
circulating medium, is an exciting and
picturesque feature of Irish history.
During this time it was the policy OF
England to allow no commerce in her
dependencies, save such as was carried
on in British bottoms, and with crews,
three-fourths of whom were natives of
her own island. The American colo
MES waxed rich in spite of this legisla-