The Irish standard., 1896-09-19
WHAT IRELAND CONTAINS IN
Not in the Way of Patriotism But of
Good Substantial Pro-
~ duce. f.
PLAN FOR INCREASING HER TRADE
She flight ProfitabIy Supply England
With Almost Every.
thing.
PLAN FOR INCREASING HER TRADE

1t will be remembered that, at the
close of the last session of Parliament
but one, Mr.. Horace Plunkett secured
the appointment of non-partlsan COM
mittee, which during the recess was to IN
vestigate the agricultural and. industrial
capabilities of Ireland. We call the COM
mittee non-partisan because, although
the nti-Parnellites declined to take part
in the proposed inquiry, the Parneiiltes
and Liberals, as we'll as the Conservative
party, were represented on It,, Inc re-
port of the committee has been pub
lished, and IN order to secure the adop-
ticn of it's suggestions a movement mas
been started for the appointment Of a
minister of agriculture and industry for
Ireland who shall have at his disposal a
fund drawn from the imperial exchequer
for the development of Ireland's re-
sources. says the New York Sun.
Although the anti-Parnellites preferred
not to sanction the inquiry, believing
that it should be deferred until Ireland
had a government of her own, they &C
knowledge that the facts brought out by
it are of great interest and value. There
is no doubt that the committee eylnced
good sense in their Investigations, IN
dulging in no rainbow chasing or compu-
tation OF impossible but as yet undemon-
strated sources of wealth. For the mo-
ment. therefore, they left unexamined
the question whether Irish coal mines
and iron mines can be profitably worked;
they confined themselves to the indus
tries which Ireland Is now prosecuting
and sought to discover how these might
be prosecuted more successfully. Chlef
among them, of course, is agriculture,
which, indeed, absorbs almost the whole
of the energy and capital of the Irish
people.
In answer to the vital question whether
Irish agriculture is capable OF great I'M
provement, the committee occupy mid
die ground between the visionary calcu.
lations of some optimistic observers and
what they deem the over-cautlous estl-
mate of students of the congested dis
-tricts. Their encouraging conclusion is
that the present value Of Irish crops and
live stock, which in 1894 was 60,000,OOO,
might by improved methods be doubled.
This opinion is based upon the fact that,
whereas the average yield of potatoes per
acre in Continental countries is from 10
to 20 tons, in Ireland it is only 26 tons.
The condition of the fax, dairy and pig
raising industries was next examined;
and it is pointed out that for some time
all of these have been declining. The
diuinution of the flax crop, which re-
quires special technical knowledge, is at
tributed to deficiency of skilled labor.
In Holland and Belgium the requisite
knowledge is impaired to the farmers by
trained instructors, and the committee
report that the only way to- put Irish
flax growers on level with their foreign
rivals is to follow this example. The 5ex-
pertinent was tried in Ireland for some
half dozen years preceding 1871, but it
failed, apparently because ignorant home
instructors were employed.
There is no doubt that Ireland ought
to supply a large part of England's de-.
mand for butter, bacon and eggs. Eng
land now annually imports from the
Continent butter to the value OF $780,
900 and quantity OF eggs valued at al
most $40, OOO, 900. Ireland could regain a
large share of this trade, and perhaps
might GUST her Continental competitors
if the quality of her butter were i'm
proved through the use of better nlachin.
cry: if she would adopt new breeds of
feeding; and if laborers' wives were
taught to rear and keep better breeds OF
poultry, and to send eggs to market in
better condition. Another recommended
means of increasing the resources of Ire
land is the substitution of dead meat
for a live meat export trade. At present
the living cattle transported to England,
of course, involves much needless waste.
IL the animals were killed in Ireland,
not only would the loss Of value in tran
sit be saved, but all the industries con-
nected with the Strengthening, including
the Irish leather trade, would revive.
We come lastly to the fisheries, which
within the last few decades have under
gone ieplorable decline. Mea sures for
their revival are suggested; but we re-
peat that for the moment, the committee
have laid most stress on what seems i'm
mediately practical to-wit: The signal
stimulation of agriculture, and the indus
tries directly associated with it.
If it be true that, with little help
from the imperial exchequer the value Of
Irish crops and live stock might be in
creased by some 600 millions OF dollars,
no Irish patriot, whatever his political
aims may be, can afford to repel, such
assistance. NJ. ;2ssa2%|
An Irishman and Frenchman@ were
disputing over the nationality ola friend
OF theirs. 81 say said the Frenchman,
shat If he was born in France; he is a
Frenchman.' "Begorra," said Pat, s'if a
cat had kittens in the oven would yon
call them biscuit
II 81 believe swallowed some feathers
lin my chicken. soup said Hiland to
Halket, as they two cat at dinner ia 8
restaurant. What makes you feel
that y asked Halket. 81 "a feel a little
down in my mouth, z was the reply.