The Irish standard., 1899-12-16

woods. Here we have woods; but these
appear solitary, independent and alone.
The woods OF Ireland are like great
ostrich plumcs that rise thick and thin
on the hills, clinging to rocks, kindly
to vegetation. And the fair hills OF holy
Ireland rise as from the sea, green and
near, and not hidden away in the in
terror.
OF conditions in the cities, l should
say that the hotels are as good as ours;
the trains are good and make good
time. There has been tremendous
improvement everywhere. The people
wear more comfortable and better
clothes. l seldom saw children with
bad clothes, and l was particularly i'm
pressed with the neatncss OF the houses
and the general indication OF prosperity.
found that the economic conditions
OF the people is far better than it was
fourteen years ago. | consider that the
condition OF the people OF ireland is
considerably better than that OF the peo
pie in the same grade of life in this
country. We hear many stories OF their
poverty and unfortunate condition gen
orally, but you may be assured that Ire
land has made great progress and is
enjoying considerable prosperity.
Ireland is purely an agricultural
country, and in this fact we may find
reason for her prosperity. After all the
trouble between landlords and tenants
there has been change Of conditions.
Now the people are getting money from
the government to buy their farms.
This easily accounts for the better ap-
pcarancc OF the houses.
There was time when, il farmer
put on a new coat and went to pay his
rent, his rent was increased because he
had the new coat on. SO was his rent
increased il it was learned that he had
given his daughter dowry So the
rcxt time he paid rent he showed him
self in his dirtiest, sllabbiest coat, and
when his daughter was married he said
nothing about dowry. Along came the
spick and span Englshman and said:
Those Irish are not clean, and if they
could be clean they wouldn't because
their religion wouldn't let them" That
sort OF thing accounts for much OF the
criticism directed against the Irish
farmer.
found that the people on the west
coast are too much huddlcd, and suffer
for that reason. These arc the con-
gcsted districts, and the latest agitation
in Ireland lbs been to relieve these dis
trcts. You often hear appeals from
these places for aid for starving inlab-
itants. All this is very humiiating to
the people, and they say, and we echo
their statements, that it is thing un-
nccessary-a thing that should not be
The trouble lies with England. That
nation is able to scatter money like
water when it comes to foreign wars,
but she is very parsimonious when ii
comes to the condition OF Ireland.
Ireland is practically destitute OF man
ulactorics. This may add much to her
picturcsquencss, but not TO her prosper
ity And this has, like may other
things, been the fault OF the English
man, whose conscience is always in his
pocket. Still, Ireland has rested much
Of her hope on electricity. The rainfall
there is great, and movement is on
foot to utilize the many streams for
manufacturing industry. OF course, the
people work at a tremendous disadvan-
tagc. Why, not long ago, they started
to make matches on a large scale, and
immcdiatclythc English poured matches
into the country and sold them at hall
price. You know something about
trusts here Well, they have some on
the other side, too.
Again. America is source OF trouble
in the line OF business competition.
America can easily land goods in Ire
land and sell them cheaper than the
home product can be sold. England is
hive OF industry and the apostle OF
free trade; so, OF course, Ireland has to
follow suit. To-day American flour
shipments have accomplished the ruin
OF the Irish mills The Irisl, farmer
now receives only onc-fltll OF the
amount OF profit he did forty years ago.
1t is pleasing to know, however, that
work is going on for the improvement
OF the people in spite OF these adverse
economic conditions. English capital is
trying to buy up the products OF the
Irish farmer. The potato crops show
the advanccmcnt
| The disease which caused so much
trouble some years ago has disappeared
because OF the use of an invention sent
from France. The product is three
times as large as it used to be. I am
sorry to say, however, that the potatoes
are mostly eaten by CATTLE The prin-
cipal food in ireland nowadays is bread
and tea. Unfortunately, they seem to
have given up the eating of potatoes
and the drinking OF milk, which made
such big men Of their fathers.
There can be no doubt that the peo-
pie are getting new ideas. They are not
backward and not sleepy. They are
seeking advancement and want gov