Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-07-14
WHY freshmen SHOULD BE PRO-
TEcTI0NISTS.


more forcible than brief recital of
the reasons why SO many of the Irish
race are in this country instead of
remaining at home in a land that
possesses all the elements of a mighty
nation. For many Of the statements
used, we are indebted to an article
in the Muscatine Ioaoa) Journal
"The Warning of Ireland" by Mr..
j. r. Hanley, himself an able and in
fiuential Irish-American
Ireland has an extremely rich soil
and is pre- eminently adapted to the
raising oi.cattle, sheep, and all kinds
of grain. She has the richest pas.
ture land in Europe, has an sabun-
dance of cheap fuel, is rich in miner.
al resources, and has many of the
finest natural harbors in the world.
The Irish, at very early date,
devoted their attention to the rails
ing Of cattle for English markets.
In the 18th century it became a very
lucrative business and the great
source of Irish wealth. But Parlia-
ment, in obedience to the demand
of English landlords, passed a law
prohibiting the importation from
Ireland Of all cattle, sheep and
swine, of beet, pork, bacon, mutton,
butter and cheese. This source of
Irish industry having been destroy
ed, the Irish, having a few ships,
built others, and betook themselves
to commerce, establishing a large
and flonrishing trade with the Colo
MES, with the East and West In.
dies and the ointment. But again
England interfered, and Parliament,
to please English shipbuilders and
traders, passed the celebrated navi
cation laws, prohibiting the Irish
from carrying on trade with the Col
onies, and thus Ireland's fourishing
Colonial trade was cut off and for.
ever destroyed. st~9 .
Ireland was now completely at
England's mercy. Forbidden to raise
cattle for English markets, forbidden
to build up merchant marine, for
hidden to trade with other nations,
they were still determined to live on
the bountiful soil God had given
them. Though crushed in spirit
and discouraged they still had the
indomitable pluck SO characteristic
of the Irish race, and they turned
their attention to the raising of
sheep and manufacturing wool, and
it became fourishing industry.
/" Irish WOOL" says Froude, "was
the finest IN Europe, and Irish cloth
was eagerly sought after" All were
for time prosperous, but England
became alarmed and jealous at Ire.
lands prosperity and Parliament
AGAIN crippled them by prohibitory
laws. The Irish wool industry was
wiped out and the ruin was absolute
and complete. At the time of the
destruction of the wooden industry
it afforded employment to fifty
thousand families. They were
thrown upon the land; rents rose to
ruinous state; thousands had no
emplo, ment, and those who had
work earned only their board.
Many emigrated to America.
What did the Irish do next 7
They developed their fisheries, but
as soon as this industry became
profitable they were once again
pounced upon by England, aud the
poor Irish fisherman, blessed with an
abundance of fish in his own waters.
was by statute compelled to fish in
English ships manned by English
sailors. No wonder the spirit of the
people was for a time broken;-
their commerce swept from the seas,
their manufactures closed, their OPP.
eratives perishing for want aud fam
inc, or fleeing to other lands to find
n home.
But soon after few leaders came
to Ireland's rescue. Grattan, Flood,
Charlemont and others worked for
this down-trodden people. The
Irish Volunteers with Grattan, sup.
ported by Flood, made demands OF
England which were granted, and
once more Ireland was free. One
of the first acts of the newly enfran.
chised Legislature was to introduce
| n,ao curac for tho profaofion IF Trioh