New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-16
IRELAND AND FREE TRADE
DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE lRi'h
FISHERMEN.
SIGNIFICANT FACTS SET FORTH IN MEMo"'N"
AGAINST THE DISGLEy BILL RATES U"

my TEIrGRAPH TO THE TNlbiNh'I
Washington April Is (SpeciaD-ohiy wo "a,
before the Dlngley bill passed the House Oh h'p,o
sentatiyes President Mckinley received mchori"'
on the subject of the duties on mackeie' an"
ring which was signed by hfty-three OF the "''"
representatives In the British House OF 'o',''''o
| including John Dillon. Michael Davitt justin "o
| car,bv John H. Parne. Maurice Iiealy anu
| James ID OConnor The letter transmitting III,
memorial was dated at Cork March H. ana s.s","
biz the president and secretary Of the irish N"o"
| erel Fish Curers Association, who wrote .
We are authorized by the above ASSOCIATION 10 ~
transmit to you the incoseu lIye in The British
House of Commons. and we hope tha' yo .ho nc me-
,,io you whc5 asks that you will be good enough
not to Increase the duty on lrish-oureu ''''"
and herring. , ,,,
| amone the Irish fishermen which is sad ana de
plora BILE indeed and one which makes a strohs "p
peal to the sympahes Of everybody II II Io'
dition however which tho Congress Oh lhe "',';''
States can hardly be expected 10 relieve 10y leslS
zion which is primarily designed to beneht Aiheii-
can citizens. The memorial is addressed 10 III,
Hon william Mckinley, President OF the Unite"
| States of America" and reads as follows
We the undersigned Irish representatives III tnS
daan regr aGut mat there is probaby Of
duties being imposed on lrish-cGGieu a of America
On behalf of the poor Irish fishermen, we Won" vour
humby and very FF 81 tha case Which, when
nIosed viii reveal a state of matters rarely 10 De
with IN the annals OF any ihe pmackerelcuring
industry has been started in our country ana nas
given employment to many thousands of poor PEG,
6ie living i'm the most poverty strcken districts Ui
our land. Since the inception Oh rIt, i'm The
social condition of the people although their present
state Is still very miserable ana leaves $50 u,h
Of this industry the condition of the people was
sad in the extreme in faS; our For the
first few years OF the business the prices paa arn ~
the fishermen were such as secured Tor ,ls LEFT
small surplus to purchase nets and boats or
repay the ana both boats and nets
For the last few years the prices PAD TO ie s ~
have been so low 'h1s ns r in debt to
The merchant and before next season came arounu
Of these men applying with their families to the
union for relief and to prevent mem aonant such
ton they were reluctantly oohseu 10 '''ep' SUN
It should be noted here that the United Cd
mackere are sent and if the present duty W. ~ he
creased there we fear no rsS shermen but to
return TO the days Of ignominous existence III n eId
wards and hospitals Of our unions ne were so
low that If they reducedIas an lhc Ia the
duty would Would not pay for wear
tear of boats and nets far less ieaVe any i0
'n rem pdnstry Is young one and in such poor
country as Ireland is where there ar, ar b,gb and
hhneyoient grounds of common humanity graeousS
70 consider our application. and instead Oh hnrr,nge
- tho du,leg on Irish-cured mackerel OF heI
nerhaps YOU will consider iavorapy she sPhI,, re-
Condition of the Irish fishermen ana poss,uii on
az tba existing duties OF 81 10 per partei Oh
mackerel and 81 per barrel on herrnss nrasopt
nleasng 10 YOU TO keep the duty az ItS 70" a.,
iayai ,ou will confer untold blessing on Ii.nS
thousands poor people IN lsia.i - 49,,
reduction OF these duties would help tIcsc ~
sands TO live in a state Of comparative coihIolt ru
so relieve them from their present aoJeet pq,ctcyr
II will he al once obvious TO you that ieuuo' .1
~ duty would have far-reachlng eIects on tne
sncial conditions OF very poor iello" GU
men and would tend TO increase, rather , tna'i
di1ninish the wealth of the United States. mas,
much as II the population OF these poor cohsesLeu
districts OF ireland were rendered -
the Immense sent yearly Dy Iner ~ ,eiu9 ~,
the United States for their support Woulu ne i,U
longer needed and praying that you may sec SG h
way grant our petition, We nave t"c "o''0' ~ ~
sir your obedient servants
II will be observed that the memorialsts believe
that the Irish fisheries, and not the American con-
sumers will have to bear whatever burden may be
inoso5 nc an increase OF the duty fish exported
rom thai country to the United states Inc
memorIalists also Indicate in Il slgnllcdht tnallcI
the extent and nature OF the blessings "Iitsu a
free-trade policy has showered upon their country;
which Is so poor" and has SO Few INDUSTRIES,
and they draw a strong contrast between the ue,,
riora HE condition OF their very poor countryen
In ireland and that OF their friends VINO nave
emigrated to the United states: VINO SEM immense
sums yearly for the support OF those who nave re-
NAMED behind. 49,, ....u,,i .. ,ho
President Mckinley referred the memorial 70 tne
COMMITTEES on Ways and Means Tor consideration
The duty on cured herring was Increased from
three Quarters OF cent TO one cent a pound ahd
the duty on cured mackerel from three-quarers on
a cent TO one and one-half cents a pound by the
DngIey bill as IT passed the House OF Representa-