The Irish standard., 1900-07-14

=" III PioNS SA\NSSslll, ullu lllttl SlC lolS
the technical schools OF Nenagh will
stand forth an example to all the pro-
vincial centers OF industry Of this coun-
try. We feel confident that tho example
set by Dean White, to the value and
Importance OF which DR.. McGolrick
bears such impressive and practical tes-
timony, will be widely followed. In
nearly every parish in the land some ci-
fort might be made to apply the pro-
visions of the Agriculture and Technical
instruction act, and we feel confident
that those priests or others who may
feel inclined to follow in the footsteps
of Dean White will only have to apply
TO him, i'll order to receive every nior-
nation and assistance in his power to
afford. The statement contained in the
letter OF the bishop OF Duluth bears out
i'll very forciblc manner the correctness
OF a statement made not so very long
ago by that staunch and generous
friend of the Irish artisan, Mr. James
Talbot Power, when he described the
condition OF things existing amongst the
stone workers OF our own Dublin hills.
Everyone knows that the granite of the
County Dublin is unsurpassed the whole
world over for beauty and durability.
The stonccutters and carvcrs, however,
who work ii, although adopts in the
manual application OF their art. are
wholly deficient in the knowledge which
would permit OF their following an arcl-
tccts or artists drawing. In consc-
qucncc, when granite blocks have to be
cut i'll any special FORM it becomes nee
cssary to supply profile or pattern of
the particular design required and of the
actual size needed to the stone work
crs, when the carving wanted is prompt
y and we'll executed If the stonccut-
tiers i'll question had enjoyed the advan-
tagcs which would have been theirs had
they been born in Belgium, Germany.
Sweden, Norway, or almost any other
continental country, they would be capa-
Die OF executing any work entrusted to
them. however intricate, merely from
the designers drawings, with the scale
in feet and inches marked at the foot.
1t will be observed that the bishop of
Duluth, i'll his letter to Dean White,
refers to the scandaous manner in which
ireland has been treated in the past by
I,nr u r,f,, Il, -,.1
Irish industry begun to prosper than
England has promptly taken steps to
Stranglc 1t for the furtIlcrancc of Eng
lish interests We know how the silk
manufacturers OF this country have per
ishcd under the influence of foreign COM
petition. and before the inflow of the
cheap and shoddy productions of Eng
lish barrack factories. In this case also,
had but little practical intelligence
been exhibited, the looms which only
produced the oldfasl,ioncd. heavy and
cumbersome poplin, might have been
easily applied to the production of the
more light and fanciful silks which,
modern feminine taste demands The
opportunity which offered was, how
ever, allowed to pass through lack of
enterprise on the part of our manuac-
turcrs and the want of adaptabiity and
knowledge amongst our wcavcrs. 1t is
now doubtful il the Irish silk trade can
ever be revived, but in view of what has
been accomplished by our nuns at Fox
ford and Gort in the way of rc-cstab-
fishing the wooden industries, it docs
not seem entirely hopeless to expect
that some effort may yet be made to re-
establish trade Which at one tir::c
afforded employment to many thou
sands of well paid workers. We are
well aware that to politicians OF a GER
tain type it will appear that Dean White
and those others amongst our clergy
who may be inclined to adopt a course
similar to that upon which he has en-
tered. will be employing themselves far
less uscfuly Than il they engaged in the
formation OF branches Of the United
Irish League and made themselves tri-
butte gathcrcrs for the promotion OF the
electoral campaign which is about to be
launched. We cannot agree with this
view. The workers OF Ireland cannot
livc-if other people canon the pro-
cccds of great and magnificent Demon
strations," and, after all, two or three
columns OF speeches, duly reported in
the Frcenan's Journal, afford but little
sustcnancc to the man with an empty
stomach and an equally empty pocket.
We have no desire to be cynical when
we express the hope that the clergy OF
ireland, always thoughtful for their REQ
pie, will realize that they can far better
help their nocks by adopting the meth
DDS Of Dean White than by becoming
ncophytcs of the cult preached by the
Mahdi Of Wcstport