The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-10-19
The Reason Why All Kinds of
Manufacturing Languishes
in Ireland.
Investment of Home Capital Is
Needed, Backed by Busi-
ness Principles.
Working by Hand and Using
Anticipated rlachinery a
Serious Drawback

The Wexford people under the caption,
"Why Ireland Has No Industries, tells
some wholesome truths, which, though
they are not palatable, are nevertheless
sure to be productive of much good, II
honestly considered and acted upon. 1t
SAYS: Frequently complaints are made
that the government Liberal or Tory
does not revive and foster Irish indus
tries. One section of parliamentary can
didates seek the suffrages of the electors
on the plea that they favor and will do
all that in them lies, to accomplish the
revival of our industries, and obtain leg
islation that will be for the material ben
eft and advancement of our country
Then, again. it is believed on the other
hand that if Home Rule were granted
numerous factories and other hives IT
industry would be started, affording en-
ployment to the many hands who roam
abo.it idly at nome, or else seek work IN
the land of the stranger.
There appear to be il!usory ideas en-
fertai,ed upon this subject of an indus
trial revival in Ireland, which it would
be we'll to have dispelled, SO as not to
have unthinking persons deceived. Save
in the matter of erecting piers and har-
bors and such like, it is scarcely within
the mower of any government, English
or Irish to develop Irish industries or
to directly assist in their revival.
OF course legislation may from time to
time be enacted which may render ia
cilities for the carrying on OF particular
business, and thus in an indirect way,
render help But such to great extent
must be insignificant. If there is to he
nm industrial revival in Ireland. the capi-
talists Of Ireland as in other countries
must erect the factories and establish
the busienss in the ordinary course The
government, Home Rule or otherwise,
will not or cannot do this. Manufactures
are not started in England by the gov
ernment, the capitalists of that country
start them, and stand or fall by them.
1t must be the same in Ireland.
We believe that the people of Ireland
are themselves to blame for the decline
of Irish industries during the past half
century or more Previous to that time
serious injury was done to our Woolen
and silk trades through pernicious legls-
ton intended for the destruction of Irish
industries. so that those of England
might obtain the greater support; but
since these enactments became inopera-
tive, hundreds upon hundreds of -four
ishing Irish industries have disappeared,
owing we fear, to the want of energy
and enterprise of the people themselves.
And why have those industries faded
away? Simply because those who owned
or controlled them did not advance with
the times as the proprietors of similar
industries in England and on the CONT
nent have done. This is really the key
to the failure of Irish manufactures.
Improved methods of manufacture, the
newest invention in machinery were
reauisitioned by manufacturers abroad,
while those at home remained steadfast-
ly in the old groove, until the English
and the foreigners by the aid of i'm
proved methods and machinery, had ban
the cheaper wares they were thus en-
abled to turn out.
At the present time and for a great
number of years past, Ireland is on the
same footing as England so far as leg
islation. affecting manufactures. English
men invest their money in factories in
their own country, employing the very
best and most economic machinery that
can be procured, and when these in turn
have been superseded they are replaced
by newer kinds still. Irishmen do not
invest their capital at home, but prefer
sinking it in foreign securities, or when,
as is rarely the case, they do attempt to
work at home, they fail to keep up to the
times by replacing their machinery by
later and better inventions accordingly
as do English and continental manufac-
tsrers. This is undoubtedly the cause
why Ireland is without flourishing trade
Where Irish manufactures do progress
with the times success is insured them, as
in the case of Messrs Pierce and Doyle, of
Wexford. the Messrs. Davis, of Enniscor-
thy. and the Messrs. Jones & Co., of New
Ross. Had those prosperous concerns,
like SO many others, adhered to the meth
ods of procedure and the old patents, say
20 years ago, they certainly would have
been closed long since. But when they
kept up to date and were conducted on
sound business principles, we are glad to
say they are highly prosperous today.
Foreign competition, it is rightly stat
ed, has ruined Ireland S trade, but in most
businesses Ireland is just as favorably
situated to supply her own needs as the
foreigners are If only the capitalists of
Ireland devoted the same energy and en-
,so$,o