Morning journal and courier., 1883-05-10
tSanrnaI saA Ga.aief.
Thursday, May 10. 1883.
THE. CONDITION OF IRELAND.


 The State department of this country has. it appears, caused an investigation of the condition of affairs n Ireland by the United States oensufs stationed there. A number of reports have been received, and among the most interesting of them is one from Consul General Merritt, giving the re- suits of inquiries made in March last. Con- sul-General Merritt addressed circular let ter to the consu1s in Ireland asking them to make investigation in their respective dis tricts and to report on the following points: 1. Whether the published accounts of the distress were substantially correct or are ex- Rggerated. 3. Whether the prospects of amelioration in the immediate future were encouraging. 8. To what extent will the ex- isting condition tend to more rapid emi- grafton to the United States or the English colonies. 4. Whether the government, the guardians of the poor, or associations are en- gagged in sending paupers to the United States.
 Consul General Merritt reviews and sum- marizes the answers of the consuls and says that the reports submitted in reply to the first question, while admitting the gravity of the situation, generally agree that the dis tress prevailing at present is not exceptional in it's character, and that the published &C., counts to the contrary are exaggerated. In the poorer agricultural districts the situation of the peasantry is miserable, and abject poverty is the rule; but sad as it is, it has been the same for years, and has become the normal condition of life. The partial failure
 
 of the potato crop in certain parts of Ireland has to some extent aggravated the situation. The fisheries have again been unsuccessful, and the rainy autumn. and winter, while fore boding no good to the coming crops, have interfered with the work of the 1aborer. In brief, he says, it may be safely assumed that the much talked of starvation point" has not been reached, however bad the situation may be- and that the local and government authorities have abundant means ahead to relieve actual necessity.
 Concerning the second question he says the prospects of the ameioration of the pres ert condition of things in the immediate fu- ture are most discouraging. It is altogether commence public works in order to give em- ployment to the people, as the policy settled upon is relief either by the workhouse or by emigration. Trade in Ireland is extremely dull Land is almost unstable at any price, and the unsettled political state of the coun- try forbids the hope of capital being forth coming to extend manufacturing interests. From whatever point of view the subject is locked at, there is little or no chance for an i--A A1,a R,,A,
 As to the third question the consuls with great unanimity agree that the present con ditian of affairs maakaet as 6 powerful stin- uIus to emigration ana give many interesting facts. In 1882 the emigration was s4,566, an increase of 1o,S47 svar 1881, and the pres ent year at the lowest will certainly show an emigration of over 100. GOO. The total num- bers represented 172. 10 per 1000 of the pop, ulation as it stood in{1ss2. Seventy-four and Ireland last year were between the ages of 15 and S5. showing that 8 large ma jority were able bodied. Of the 47, 426 males who emigrated, no less than 32,955 were re- turned as simple laberers. As to farmers, the figures for the past three years are: 1880, 1 ,994; 1881, 2,44O, and 1882, 3,140.
 As to the fourth question-whether the government, the guardians of the poor, or associations are engaged in sending paupers to the United States diversity of opin- ion exists, which may be accounted for by the difference of the localities from which the eonsuls write. It is evident, however, that in some localities efforts have been made to induce the poor and lazy to eni- grate.
 This is probably quite as reliable as most of the information concerning the state of Ireland which has been given to the people of this country. It merits careful consider ation, and it would be well if our consuls would make similar inquiries and reports from time to time