New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-31
currency to be augmented before they go
IA IRISH POINT And MORAL

4
curious and instructive book has recently
bcon published on stale subject. Inc au-
thor is an Englishman who inherited an estate
in ireland and determined to take possession
Of il. TO live as the tenants do and TO make an
exhaustive study of the condition OF .he
neasantry. lie bought the furniture anu III
torcst of one of his tenants, personally man.
AGED n small farm with a flock OF sheep dresSeu
lilo the neasants in coarse tweed ana hoD-
,o;Iod brooues and travelled about the lsland
...;,h horny hands and the air of being one OF
ho roon,o A protracted residence IN the
Island under these conditions enabled MIN u
6ll a notebook with fresh and familiar oDSci'"
t;ons of the manner of life OF tenant farmers
and laborers. The book is entitled ne ir'Sh
Pcasantu and it is singularly free from partisan
bias and political prejudice
One of the authors points we are ANXIOUS
70 single ont because there is pohtlcal iliora'
for Americans. and especially for Irish Ameri-
cone which NAV be drawn from it. Ihis re-
latos 70 tbe clothing of the people. lie states
that in out of thc-way places irieze ana coa,'o
cloth of home manufacture are yet worn by
~ mon and blue cloth cloaks by the older
women hut with most of tho peasantry shoddy
and cheap fnery have supplanted inc warm anu
Durable woollens formerly III use me IL -
NOT truc that the Irish people arc always III
RAGS rs they are commonly repreScii'eu' ,ne
Fnclish made clothes seen thro"ghou' INC
;Iard oro of tho vilcst shoddy. Although ell
forts have bccn made during late years 10 eN-
tord tbo manufacture of Irish Woollens, com
,,ot;t;op with the cheap English shoddies is
;m,roc,icablc Hence. remarks the author
"manv people in Ireland think that protective
duties might to be levied on such fabrics
While il is not considered prudent TO shy much
about Protection at present 1t Is cohceueu III
This volume that the movement IN favor OF ]"
= coininp ground and that sooner or later
donand for il will arise from the WORKING
Jossos many of whom are thrown out OF en-
,1ovmcnt by the cheapneSs of English goodS'
Woollens poplin and tabnet were once large
l.. ,ro,rfactured in the island. but tho indus
,r;os have declined through competition from
Manchester. Dublin was once a great centre
81 rho boot and shoe trade. but that industry
also has been destroyed by the Introduction OF
cheap English made goods. The people nave
the hest facilities for buying the poorest graueS
of shoddy clothing manufactured IN thgiailu'
Inf they have no employment ut home no IN
du,tricS except potato planting III inc DUE an"
catlic-hcrding in poor pastures.
When political party in the United states
is striving To overturn the Protective system
in order 10 facilitate the introduction OF Eng
Iisb shoddy clothing for tho working people
this truthful account of the condition OF the
Irish peasantry will bear critical eNamlna'ioh'
II chcap clothing were the sole requirement
f.r the promotion Of working peoples interests
Ireland would be to-day a prosperous country
II has the worst shoddy goods made in ing
land and the prices defy home competition.
But while clothing is cheap, there is no en-
plo,ment. Manufacturing industries cannot
exist under tho pressure of English compeu-
ton The people are forced back upon the
land and driven by starvation TO emigrate TO
America. These are facts which lrsh-Amcri-
can citizens ought not 10 forget when they are
asked 10 support the Democratic party IN
campaien directed against home industries. The
sorry experience Of their own unhappy island
ought 10 suffice 10 convince them that other
things are more essential to the welfare OF
working people than the importation OF shoddy
clothing. With the necessity OF Protection
frankly conceded by their own people IN Ire
land how anomalous it is for them 10 be sup
porf,nc the English manufacturers cause here
by voting with the Democracy for Free Trade