The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-03
IRELAND'S RESOURCES
EFFORTS SINCE PARNELLS DEATH
TO DEVELOP INDUSTRIES.
PIunlxett Believes the Islands Future
Depends ON Economic More than
Political Reform.

NEW YORK, Jan. 2-Rt. Hon. Horace
Plunkett. NJ. P, chairman of the Irish
Agricultural Organization Society, who is
now visiting the United States, has con-
tributed to the January number of the
North American Review, which will be is
sued Jan. 3, an account of the efforts which
have been made since the death of Mr..
Parnell to further the cause of Ireland
through the development of her commercial
and industrial resources. This new move
ment, Mr. Plunkett points out, depends for
its success on the cooperation of Irishmen
who are politically opposed to each other,
and it has been the means of bringing to-
gether in a common endeavor prominent
men of the most diverse political factions,
Unionist and Nationalist uniting The con-
viction out of which the new movement
arose was that the Irish difficulty has long
been rather economic than political, and
that it is so more than ever to-day.
Solve the economic problem" says Mr..
Plunkett. land in the process the Irish
people will be so elevated and strengthened
that they will be able to solve the political
problem for themselves" Being entirely
practical in their aims and processes, the
patriots who inaugurated this movement
sought suggestion and inspiration in coun-
tries where similar efforts had already been
mark, to Germany, to France and other
countries on the continent to observe the
results of attempts made there to organize
industries of various kinds, and the work
of the Irish Agricultural Society was pur-
sued along the lines suggested by the rep
resentatives of the commissioners. The pro-
Gramme of the reformers is based on the
principle of voluntary association for in
dustrial purposes and the attempt made is
to give practical effect to this principle by
the establishment of societies of farmers
for common advantage. The success which
has attended this work has been most en-
couraging. The Irish Agricultural Organi-
cation Society, representing almost all
classes of Irishmen, formed to provide
funds for carrying out the movement and
it has been instrumental in establishing
40 of these farmers societies in Ireland,
scattered throughout thirty-one of the thir-
ty-two counties, with an aggregate MEM
bership of II 900.
These societies." said Mr.. Plunkett,
''variously embrace every branch of the
farming industry. They cheaper production
by the joint purchase of seeds, manufac-
lures, implements, machinery and other
requirements of their industry. In dairying
districts they erect creameries, which they
show a capacity to operate for their own
profit. They jointly sell what they pro-
duce with view of saving middle profits
They are in many districts applying the
principle of co-opers ton to agricultural
finance, and are thus securing a great re-
duction of interest or farm loans. The adj
vantages derived from combination of indi-
viduals is enhanced by joint action between
societies"
Mr. Plunkett says that it is only lack of
funds sufficient to send organizers quail
fled to educate bodies of farmers, who are
ready to listen to them in almost every
parish in Ireland, which delays the univer-
sal adoption of the new scheme, and he
calls attention to the fact that in provid-
ing the means to accomplish this purpose
a splendid opportunity is open for some
wealthy lover of Ireland to confer on her
people an incalculable boom