River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-09-16
Irish srntIntlcs.


the economic condition of Ireland,
which appeared originally in the Lon
don Graphic, are reproduced in it
namesake in this country. They are
of rare interest, in that they convey TO
the mind far better than do columns of
figures, the comparative conditions of
the different parts of Ireland as to ed
ucation, religion, wealth and pauper-
ism. BY the usual system of shading
adopted in statistical maps, the
varying conditions are shown by
counties, and the statistics upon which
the shading is based, have been collect
ed with much care by the Statistical
society of London.
The statistics of education and re-
ligion, unfortunately, are not later
that 1881. five years ago, and especially
unfortunate is this in the educational
map in its failure to show the rapid
growth whose evidences five years ago
were very marked. In ireland forty
years ago more than one-half the
people, or strictly speaking, 53 per
cent, could not real or write. Since
then this percentage of illiteracy has
decreased an average of per cent. for
each decade, until in 1881 il had fallen
- per cent. This is remarkable and
most beneficial change in the short
period of forty years. The
greatest illiteracy was reported in
Donegal, Mayo and Galway, and the
least in northeastern Ireland and a
narrow strip of counties extending
down the east coast-Louth, Dublin,
Kildare and Carlow. 1t is some
what singular fact that percentage of
illiteracy appears to bear no relation
whatever, either 70 the wealth or pow
erty of the respective sections
The statistics of religion were also
collected in 1881. The Roman Catholic
population of Ireland was 1850, S9l
against !, 2l3, 945 Protestants, and the
densest population, s. per cent. or
more, was found in the central part
of the Island. Professionalism makes a
considerable showing only in the Prov
inee of Ulster, in Dublin, and Wick
low, and on the southeast coast, around
Cork. 1t appears however, taking
the entire Island, to be increasing
slowly. In 1861, the percentage
of Roman Catholics to the whole popu-
lation was 1906; ten years later one
per cent. less; and twenty years later
ii had fallen TO 1905. Protestant Ul-
ster has more Catholics than IS gener-
ally supposed. Taking |, 000 of popu-
lation as basis Of ANALYSIS, AS are
Catholics, 218 Protestant Epscopalians
2j9 Presbyterians doubtless Of Scotch
ancestry, 20 MethOdists, and % other
Protestant denominations. The lowest
percentage of Roman Catholics in any
county is 70 in Antrim, and the highest
is 9S in Glare.
The statistics of wealth and pauper-
ism were collected in 1854. The oc-
equations of the people We're Agricul-
ture, 3,417, S77; manufactures, 69l, 509;
domestics. 426, l6l; the professions, 1885,
6S4;trade and commerce, u, 235 land re-
turned as of mo occupation. the enor-
nous number Of 36S.3 1t would be
interesting to know whether these are
altogether laborcrs or include those
who class themselves as gentlemen.
Naturally, the greatest wealth IS found
in the counties in which are the trade
and manufacturing centers of Dublin,
Cork and Belfast. the poorest coun-
ties are those Of Leitrim Longford
and Carlow, due largely to their loca-
ton and poverty OF resources. The
map showing the pauperism of the re-
spective counties IS one of the most
interesting OF the series, and presents
some seeming anomalies. For an in
stance, while Connaught, aud the
countries of Donegal aud Kerry are
far from wealthy sections, the per cen
tages of their population who receive
relief, are down to 5, ,. and "a, while
of the Weather counties, Meath
shows 222, Kildare 17.9. and Louth
.115. BY provinces, 4.6 per cent
were relieved in Ulster, ) in Connaught,
1915 in Munster. and y in Leiuster.
The cost of relief in 1884, in Ireland,
for 416,9S2 persons. was E945.93O, or
about Sl1 each. Hartford Times.