Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27

there is great amount taken to Ireland
by returning emigrants-men and women
who have saved a certain portion Of their
daily wage, with the ultimate idea of taking
1t back to Ireland and by it's means spend
Ing the remainder of their lives in comfort
IN the glen, for which, since they quilted
1t, their hearts have ever yearned. Just
now there is more money going back in this
way than ever before; for the increased
prosperity of Ireland and its increased COM
tort and the good reports they. hear from it
means to return.
If a servant girl has amassed from $3.50
to $500 she returns rich woman, marries
small farmer and stocks his farm or adds
, a new field or two to it by purchase The
male em1grant who returns is not satisfied
to go home with so small an amount. His
1athers farm does not await him. He will
not quit. America until he can reckon
couple Of thousand dollars his own. When
ne goes home he casts about to find a little
farm for sale. He purchases it, builds
nous mouse, marries neighbor's daughter and
ton in his own land.
Set a Good Example.
This Yankee is henceforth mission
airy. During his soJourn in America he has
gathered-as the Irish quickly do-a notion
OF American life, go, progressiveness and
originality. And he takes this notion back
with him into the land of dreamers With
the aid of other Yankees who have re-
turned to the same districts, he impresses
tnese characteristics to a greater or less
extent upon those around him. Having a
little money and a good deal of knowl-
edge' ne sets about working his land in
systematic fashion and shows his neigh
bors that capital put into the land is not
always lost.
He drains and crops in manner new to
lie h
stock on imported food. His success slim
ulates others to follow his example, and the
countryside has practical demonstration of
me taet that the old ways are not always
the pest. SO that the imam who, having
gathered a small sum Of money, would nat
uraliy have been inclined to put it in the
bank for safe keeping now sees the bene-
NJ mt OF putting 1t into a ,qmore productive
Dank his little farm. Thereby he not only
benefits himself, but also the struggling
laborers and cotters who depend chiefly for
their living on the days work given to them
by this farmer and by that. So, as was
10 De expected, wages are now higher in
ireland than they Were, and the laboring
man is abe to live at home in greater COM
fort, and therefore more willing to stay.
The Spread of Enlightenment.
Because of reasons for which we are not
to blame-and our excuse. is written largely
over the last few centuries of our history
We were not recently, as a people, so en-
lightened as we might have been, but to-
day enlightenment is gaining wonderfully
among US. ...- ~ a.
After the public school system the re-
turned Yankee has been the principal edu-
Gator in all the remote districts. By the
winter fireside, at the wake and, the we'd
ding, or the gatherings on the hillside or
the roadside in summer, he draws around
him a circle of neighbors who hang upon
his words whilst he scatters the seeds of
knnu1pitra md of rna 1oyx x,ul,; ,l, l,o
has gained beyond the seas.
An emigrant who came here from re-
mote district in Ireland. thirty or forty
years ago tells how when he emerged from
a railway depot in Chicago three or four
carriages swept by like whirlwind, drawn
by great horses that struck fire from the
pavement at every leap, the whole keeping
up a terrific ringing, whistling and din.
They were fire engines rushing to con-
Migration, of course, but he did not know
this. He says he stood calmly by while
they passed. He had become quite steeled
against wonder and looked quietly upon
goan driving to his business. Such a mis-
take would not occur with the emigrant of
today.
Democratic Equality.
further good lesson that our people
have learned from the Yankees is that of
independence and democratic equality. Two
decades ago it was a rare treat to observe
road with chin in air, look of calm indif-
ference in his eye and his hat seemingly
glued to his head; now a mere stay-at-home
can act the part as nonchalantly.
He has learned well the lesson that it
should be in Ireland as 1t has always been
in America, where lone man is as good as
another, and id sight better"
Finally the steady, heavy drain of emf
grafton, which went on increasingly for
forty years, relieved the congestion of the
country and left more ease and elbow room
for those at home. Where formerly the
parent had to divide his already too small
patch of farm land between three or four
sons he later needed to divide it between
two only; the others had gone to the states,
and since their father had paid their pas
sage money and thrown them in the teeth
of fortune, they could not think of holding
claim on the land at home and were far
from grudging the farm to the less lucky
brothers who remained behind.
Increase In Population.
The altered state of things in Ireland was
brought forcibly home to the casual OBJ
server when, a year or two ago. our regis
trar generals returns showed for the first
time in fifty years positive increase in the
population Of the emerald isle. Later re-
turns have likewise been CHEEKY, for while
emigration has very materially decreased,
the reflux from America. has increased.
To the heart of every Irishman this in
formation was glad tidings, showing that
the turn Of the tide. which had been bear
| ing heart and hope away from Ireland, had
| at length set in; that the era of prosperity
was well begun, and giving good promise
when the Irishman could remain in Ire
! land for a better reason than that he had
not the wherewithal to leave it.
SEUMAS MacMANUS