The Irish standard., 1886-08-21
A LETTER FROM IRELAND.
Interesting Statistics Concerning the IRE
mentous Decrease in Population
During the Past Forty Years.
IN 1871, 8,195,ooo; 1891, 5,l74,ooo.
The Desperate Condition Of the Irish
People at the Present Inne--A
Species Of White Slavery.

Species Of White Slavery.
DUBLIN, July 2e.-The present pop
ulation of Ireland is almost exactly
what it was at the beginning of the
century. 1t was then about five mil
lions. and rapidly increased until 1911,
when it Numbered S,l96, 600 Then it
7,egan to diminish. and in lo8l num-
bered STA. .OOO-a loss Of ambition every
decade. This hare fact is strong pre-
s,,upt;ye evidence that the economic
conditions OF the country are bad, aud
at least largely responsible for the pre-
sent condition ct things. An English
guide book unnocently says: lin 1915
the failure OF the potato and consequent
famine caused it rapidly TO decline
through increased emigration; and with
the absence of manufacturers, and by
changes in the methods Of agriculture,
the decrease has continued Up tn tbe
present tlme." Itis, after all, y soit or
confession that the SYSTEM Is at LEAST
partly to blame.
The Irish do not more readily leave
their country than do the people Of
other countries. They are really much
attached to Ireland and there is no bet
fer proof of this than the fact that they
ALWAYS consider ii a duty to contribute
TO the fund for the liberation OF che
country FROM British rule, When they
;,}1tain Home Rule there is TO doubt
that thousands OF them Will flock back
to Ireland, because Of their attachment
to their old home.
Nothing is more astonishing than to
tnd a country with such resources as
Ireland, and so few Of them even fairly
developed. There is fair supply OF
good coal, hut it is entirely nlde?sA~
oDed. ,ud what is used is brought al
most wholly from England. There are
immense deposits of iron ore-~red hem
arite and bog iron, both in abundance,
tine former in connection with the coal
deppsits. In happier days there Were
1T one tirat; very many small furnaces
ord iron works here and there over Ire
land. but they are al. gene ROW. The
nom wealth Of the country. too. Like the
.o.,. lies all undeyelopaa and unused.
The English wisely account foE this oy
saving tina. there is NO capital i'll lis-
land with which to develop its resour-
ces. It is very true that there is noG
much capital i'll the country, but it is
also true that the English have always
carefully strangled such Irish indus
tries as showed the least sign OF vital
;ty. unless they were in lines which
et,nld offer no competition with BRIT
i,h interests" Unfortunately fcr Ire
land. these British interests allow the
existence Of no rival interests, ii it is in
thaic power to Kill them.
In passing through the various towns
Of Ireland, except Belfast and few
other towns III the north, one notices
an almost entire absence Of m&nnfact.
uring industry Of any kind. The peo-
nle say; I'VE formerly had a woolen
mill. or cotton mill, but it is not run
ming now.'1 Tt is story of departed
gyosy OF prosperity almost everywhere.
The lack of prosperity is wei! shown by
the stationary and often diminishing
population OF the towns, Cork had so,~
iNn people in 1851, and did not increase
. hundred in the following twenty
wears. aud the saue is true Of scores Of
tnvns, Many are going into actual de-
,,ay, Galway is al example. 1t has
file hayoor, and ought to be the great
ter,r,i,,ls Of the North Atlantic stea1n-
ship routes, but it's shipping lsieally
vesy unimportant. 1t is town slowly
roina into decay and rain. In some
streets there are whole lines OF ware
houses. 5l,ree and four stories high,
which have been wholly unused for
veays. aud are going into decay.
Rents Of houses in the towns are not
high as compared with rents i'll our
Atlantic towns, bat they are very high
when we consider the low wages re-
ceiYed, and the depressed state OF neal
" all Industries. A hovel, fit only for
pigs, can be rented in the suburbs OF
Galway and other like towns for so
cents week, but then the laborer's
wages are only $3.50 week at most,
and bread and meat are relatively
high. American fresh beef is about Is
cents a pound in Galway, and bread is
as dear as in New York. The Irish
poor make shift to live on potatoes
alone when they cannot get bread and
beef. The price Of butter, eggs and
milk need not be mentioned, for the
Irish poor seldom indulge i'll such lux
uries.
In Ulster farm laborers get somewhat
higher pay than in the west and south
Of Ireland; but even here $S week IS
very fair wages, aud this without food
yGst& .3l4 80 .,stt$-fs tEi&s-A7