The San Francisco call., 1899-12-04
~ oo
-zss=e4 VW0rB I'M the 3tel0@ OF 6o0ka=4
q o@o+ e. O. o+c+ exc +o+ exc e. +o+ o+o

the sea like sentinel wall around the
country.
But best of all is that hospitality, that
g-heartedness, that clasp of the hand to
the friend that has come back No hearts
are so open, no hospitality so generous as
that of the Irish people. The first thing
about were that the people were so much
more comfortable and so much better
clothed. Everywhere there was evidence
of prosperity. The economic condition of
the Irish people to-day is equal to that of
any other nationality similarly situated.
1t is purely an agricultural country,
the manufacturing being confined to n
small corner. The trouble with agricul-
ture there has been that il was twice
stolen from the people within century.
Twice In that time the land was taken
from those who titled II. 1t was such in
tolerance of the British that created the
landlord class that had no sympathy for
the tenants. Early in the century they
began TO demand their pound Of flesh. /
remember the time when the people car
ried In baskets on their backs sand and
seaweed from the shores TO build on the
bare rock the soil in which TO raise their
potatoes, and on this they were charged
rent and the soldiers and the police stood
back of the Landlords TO enforce their de-
mands, Think of these conditions when
all of the improvements were made by the
people
"Parnel came then as the savior Of the
country. The people rebelled against the
oppression: they stood shoulder TO shoul-
der and gave their ultimatum to England
Then the land became owned by the land
lords and the tenants with equal inter
ests, but this dual prnprietorship is
gradually disappearing and the people
are buying their own farms with money
advanced by the Government. The inter
est is less than the rent and the farmers
have the satisfaction of proprietorship
Father Yorke said that this was one OF
the most hopeful signs that he noted, and
he asserted that ii was due in large
measure to the work of the Catholic
clergy among the people: He denied that
there was any truth In the famine stories
that occasionally reach this country from
Ireland. He said they were founded on
conditions that exist in what is known as
the congested districts of the island.
which conditions could easily be remedied
If England would show the proper spirit
England. he said has always been able
10 scatter money like water In foreign
wars, but she is very stingy in caring
for her own subjects. He continued:
"One of the bad things that l saw In
the country was that the people are not
ing. their own milk. Tea and bread seem
to be the chief articles of food.
The Catholic priests are back Of much
of the advancement of the people; they
have not only been looking after their
souls but after their bodies as well. The
Irish people are not backward. not dead
government they would be in far more
prosperous condition than they are. They
are still striving in and out of season to
better their temporal and religious condi-
ton. and If the Irish priests can only keep
the train agoing at its present rate the
future will bring us all what we wish
for"
Father Yorke said that one Of the great
est dangers is that they have lost their
Gaelic language; that II has been crushed
out OF them through the national school
system, and II they do not see the danger
in time they will become little more than
pocket editions of Britons.
"One hundred years ago brightness
dawned on Ireland. when the English
Were bottled up at Yorktown" he con-
cluded. They went back across the ocean
| again and were glad to treat the Irish
! with kindness. The same thing is now
occurring on another continent. Eng
| lands difficulty in South Africa is Ire
| lands opportunity. and I hope that her
| people will take advantage of IL and then
will come that independence that we all
pray for. and Ireland will take her place
among the nations Of the world"