The Irish standard., 1892-06-18
IRELAND'S WOES,
They Are Eloquently Described by
j. E. O'Brien, of the Mime
sofa University.
MEASUREMENT THE CAUSE
And Not Popery, Laziness, Drunk
enness or Extravaganza, as
Falsely Alleged.

j. Ii. OBrle1, a graduate OF ITO MILL
nesota State University, selected for bis
theme on commencement day ''the Cause
of Ireland's Debasement," which he de-
livered in the Lyceum Theatre, this city,
before a large aesemblage, and from
which the following passages are given
to the readers of The IRISH STANDARD:
It is.denied by a great political party
in England that the Irish peasanty are
worse fed or worse clad or worse housed
than are the laboring rural populations
of other European countries. Ii this
were true the Irish would have no greater
grievances than the poor OF every land.
But member of the Conservative party
is compelled to say after observation,
that no devasted province OF the Roman
Empire ever presented halfthe wretched-
ness of Ireland Many reasons have been
given for Ireland's debasement. 1t is
popery said Macaulay. But Catholic
France in the last century and Protestant
Prussia in this century were the counter
parts of Ireland Of to-day as respects the
poverty and misery of their rural popula-
tions. Peasant proprietorship--the own
ership Of the soil by the tillers of the soil
was established, and almost Instantly the
rural inhabitants became prosperous in
both the Catholic and Protestant counties.
It is Irish laziness said the London
III. DIT fL,> Trich
every land and everywhere they are re-
garded as most industrious workers.
The treasures which reach the National
League from Irish-Americans testify to
the fact that the Irish in this country are
not improgident. Year after year in sea-
sons as dark and perilous as any i'll the
nations history, the National League was
maintained and encouraged and has in
deed survived by reason ct the funds
forwarded 10y Irish-Americans. America
is covered by magnificent churches,
splendid edifces and cozy dwellings
owned by Irish-Americans, and yet an
English journal tells US that the Irish
are lazy. It is their drunkenness said
Lord Lansdowne. But statistics show
that little more than half the amount OF
1iouor is consumed in Ireland per capita
that is consumed in England and Scot
land. In the parish of Gweedmore, often
described as the most wretched parish in
Ireland. the statement is made by the
parish priest that nine-tenths of the
adults, both mon and women, were men,
hers of his total abstinence society. 1t is
their extravaganza said Trevelyan, who
after seeing working people eating sea-
weed gave as an example Of their extrav-
agance that women no longer made
their own cloth but bought it in the
shops. But the one who brought in this
charge of grave extravaganza against the
Irish peasants could not have been ig~
norant Of the fact that it was system of
legalized tyranny which took from the
peasants the barren mountain slopes
which used to be held in common and on
which they fed their sheep, and rented
them to Scotch sheep-raisers. The Irish
we're thus deprived OF the wool necessary
10 make cloth, and are then charged
with extravaganza because they buy
cloth to cover their bodies. It is their
law]essness CRY the Unionlsts. But Of
fetal STATISTICS show that when this cry
WAS loudest. there was less crime in Ire
land than in any civilized land. During
that wear there were forty-nine homicides
in Philadelphia and only four in all Ire
land, and yet the City of Brotherly Love
has only sixteen per cent Of the popula-
tion of Ireland.
Such then are the excuses for Irish
discomfort given by the enemies of the
Irish people. But if you ask the Irish
em,grant who lands in Castle Garden
what It was that drove him from the
country which could under normal con-
dit;oDs support him, he will say-ninety-
nine cases out of "a hundred-the landlord.
believe that the Irish peasant is right,
and that Macaulay, the London Times,
lord Lansdowne, MIR. Trevelyan and
the Unionists are wrong. The Irish peo-
pie are impoverished because the stat
utory law is in conflict with the natural
law which justifes individual appropria
ton of the land; because it's legal owners
ignore their duties as it's holders, and
deny all rights that appertain to the till
ers of the soil. It is said that Ireland is
oyer-populated, and emigration is sug-
eested as a remedy. But Ireland is one
Of the most sparsely populated countries
Of Europe. Compare it for example with
little Belgiuma land naturally less fer
tile than Ireland and with mineral re-
sources vastly inferior to hers. Belgium
has exactly three hundred more inhabit-
ants to the square mile than Ireland, and
she invites not repels migration. Mas
B aachusetts has larger population to the
square mile. If Ireland had the same
density Of population she would now con-
tain fifteen millions Of inhabitants. She
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