The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-04-23
OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
Rev. R. Latham in-the Yorkvile Enquirer

OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
Rev. R. Latham 'nll.ne Eer1'''le Enquirer
One description, which has sometimes
been given Of Scotland, is that it is a
"wee bit countrie." This will also do fol
ireland. Its greatest length-that from
Miezen Head, in Cork, to Kenmore OF
Fairhead, in Antrim, is 902 miles, and its
greatest breadth, at right angles to this
line, from Wicklow, on the Irish sea, to
Erris Head, on the Northwestern coast
of Mayo County, is 189 miles. In extent
of territory, Ireland is only little larger
than the State of South Carolina. The
population of Ireland, however, is more
than five times as great as that of South
Carolina. The population of Ireland
was, at one time, nearly twice what it is
now. Since the year 1851, three millions
of Ireland's population have emigrated
to other countries. During the year 1881,
78,419 left the island. I have no means
of knowing, with certainty, where all
these emigrants went; but from what l
learned, ! think that the greater part of
the Protestant emigrants went to Aus.
tralia. The Catholics generally came to
the United States.
A few years previous to 1851, Ireland
was visited with what is known as the
potato blight. This blight continued for
several years, and the result was that
great numbers of the people were reduc-
ed to beggary, and many of them actually
died of hunger. The crops failing, made
it impossible for the farmers to pay their
rents. The landlords, in many instances,
showed no pity. The tenants were turn
ed, or rather driven, out of their
houses. Some of those thus turned out
of their houses emigrated, others took
shelter under the caves OF their former
houses, while not few congregated in
the public high ways and died of hunger.
The houses out of which these tenants
| were driven, or out of which they fled,
are, at least many of them, to-day with.
out an occupant.
The failure of a crop in every country
is attended with much suffering to the
poor. This is one of the marked features
of Ireland. The Irish potato is the
principal food of the poor. In fact, I
never, 40 far as I now remember, eat, a
dinner in Ireland, outside of city,
without potatoes being on the table.
The potato will not keep over for two
years. Hence a failure of the potato
crop for two years in Ireland is certain
to produce famine among class of the
inhabitants.
Of the whole population of Ireland,
more than one.twelfth are ipaupers. AS
some one will, no doubt, cali this in ques-
ton, the facts are stated. The popula-
ton of Ireland in 1881 is stated to be
4,746,214, and the number of paupers to
be SIS, ,646. 1t is claimed that the larger
number of these paupers are Catholics.
I do not know that this is correct. I
think, however, that it is. The province
of Ulster, which is admitted by all to be
the stronghold of Professionalism in Ire
land, and the largest of the four provin-
ces except that Of Munster, has popu-
lation of 1875, ,221, of whom S5,776 are
paupers. The province of Munster, with
large extent of territory, but popula.
tion of 351 ,0S3 less, has 156, ,270 paupers,
or 70,494 more than Ulster. The great.
est number of paupers are in Lienster
province, while it is, except Connaught,
the smallest in territory and in the num-
Der of its inhabitants. The population
of Lienster province is 1,449,599, Of
whom l78,094 are paupers. In every
County of Ireland there are Protestants,
and the same may be said Of the Catho-
lies.
There is a fact in connection with this
Irish pauperism that may be interesting
to some persons. 1t is the manner Of
supporting these paupers. In England,
Ireland and Scotland, there are what they
call poor laws. These laws are enacted
by the English Parliament, and have for
their object the support of the paupers.
The manner of executing these laws is,
when divested of legal technicalities,
simply this. The number of paupers is
ascertained and certain sum of money
specified for their support. This money
is raised by taxing the property holders,
using that word in its Irish sense, to mean
all those who are farmers and have other
taxable investments. In other words,
everybody who has anything is taxed,
except the landlords. Those who have
the land of the landlords leased pay all
the tax, either directly or indirectly.
The land of Ireland is valued at 1885,
595 pounds sterling. On this there is
raised by taxation, or by rates, as they
call it, 1,15l, ,S7S pounds sterling for the
support of the poor. In other words, the
land of Ireland is valued at sixty-eight
and half millions of dollars, and on
that there is raised five and one-half
millions of dollars for the support Of
paupers. The County Antrim, with a
population of 387, 1863, pays poor rate
of more than four hundred thousand
dollars; or more than one dollar for each
inhabitant.
The three counties of Ireland which
have the greatest number of paupers are
Dublin, Cork and Antrim. The first,
52,635; the second, 56,19S; and the last
has S4,737. These are facts which I am
unable to account for, only in part. In
Dublin County is situated the city of
Dublin; in Cork County, the city of
Cork and in the County of Antrim, the
town of Belfast. Dublin city has a
population of about 3OO,0 900; Cork, about
100000; and Belfast, about 250,00O.
These aggregate population of 65O,0O0.
Of this number, lsrge per cent, as is
the case in all large cities, are no doubt
paupers. In addition to these, there are
in these counties several other towns,
which, an some parts of these United
States would be regarded as considerable
cities. These, no doubt, have great per
cent. of paupers. Perhaps the reader is
ready to conclude that Ireland presents
repulsive aspect on account of its pau
pers. Such is not the case. There is, in
reality, nothing repulsive about ireland,
except that system of landlordism which
has been in existence since the days of
James I. Even that has been, in many
of its features, greatly ameliorated, and
| the probability is. that the time is not far