Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-27
OF TODAY
There Has Been a Decided Change for
the Better.
RESULTS OF AMERICAN INFLUENCE
Enormous Sums Of Money Sent
Back to the Old Country.
POPULATION is INCREASING

Copyright 1900, by Seumas MacManus)
Written for The Evening Star
Public attention has been so absorbed in
politics for the past decade or two. 50 far
as Ireland is concerned, that the social and
industrial regeneration which has been 60
ing on has been almost entirely over
looked. Yet it has been far reaching
and rapid there have been such great
changes for the bctter-in the last twenty
years chiefiy-that we can now say, glad
ly and truthfully, Ireland is a regenerated
country
The changes in ways and means have
been radical as to surprise outsiders
The picture of Ireland in the foreign mind
today is that of the Ireland of half a CEN
fury ago. The real Ireland is different
1t is now comparatively prosperous and its
people are comparatively happy. Except in
a few more remote and barren parts, the
former hard struggle for existence is not
known today and the pinch of hunger is
not felt. We have more ease, more lei
sure, more of the comforts of life, and
We look forward with less anxiety to the
morrow.
Thanks to political agitation, the remod-
eied land laws-thOugh still far from per-
fect-have given to the poor struggling far
stranger. His rent is lower and he is not
withheld from improving his land by the
apprehension of increased rack-rent Part
1y as consequence of this and partly as a
consequence of the possession Of a little
more wealth, his land is better titled
and drained, and he rears more stock and
of a better quality. The resulting ease of
mind is conducive to enlightenment and
moral progress. We have no system of
compulsory education, but the Irishmans
respect for learning amply fills its place.
No matter how much he needs his chill
dren's work at home or on the farm, they
are sent off every day, one or two or three
Irish miles, to the little national school.
So, of the rising generation in Ireland, full
ly 90 per cent will be educated.
When Irishmen Fled From Ireland.
Ii would have been absurd even to dream
of such a state of things fifty years ago.
1t has been variously estimated that from
half a million to million people died of
starvation in the years of 1916. 1S47 and
1913, though Ireland's shipping ports were
thronged with ships laden with cattle and
corn for export A futile revolution of
young Irelanders gave the English govern
ment the excuse to advocate the shipping of
our people to America and elsewhere and
the landlords concluded that bullocks and
Scotchmen would be more profitable on the
green hills of Ireland than the troublesome
Celt &c. scourged by three scourges the
landlords, the government and the famine,
our people were driven to the ports and
into the famine ships, and hundreds of
thousands swarmed westward over the
ocean.
The history of the emigration Of these
years was second only in it's sadness and
fearfulness to the history of the famine
itself, for untold thousands of those hud-
died together in these plague ships persisted
on the ocean. Ever since, from the old
Ireland to the new, there has been a white
way under the ocean paved with the bones
OF myriads who were harried and hurried
from their homes and their hills. Yet in
spite of it all, Ireland is today a country
of Celts and prosperity; and, because of it
all, there Is today greater and a more
prosperous Ireland in the new world.
OF the several causes which have united
to bring prosperity and progress back to
the old Ireland, 1 believe there has been
no more important factor than the new
1reland-the Ireland that has grown up
and fourished and borne plentiful fruit in
the United States Of America.
Americas influence.
How has America benefited Ireland? In
several ways. 1t has benefited Ireland,
primarily, by the vast sums of money
which have been flowing In steady stream
eastward over the ocean in the last half
century; it has benefited Ireland by reliev-
ing its congestion, and it has benefited
Ireland by its moral influence.
The flow Of cash from America to Ire
land cannot easily be realized. 1t has been
far greater than any person only super-
ficially acquainted with the facts could
suspect. To get an adequate idea of it.
one must have lived among the peasantry
in remote parts where every family is rep
resented by one, or two, or three, or five In
America, and where the American letter
with it's unfaiing money order, is ever com.
| ing. When the boy and the girl leave
home for the New Island Gas it is put in
| our Gaelic the one thought ever present
| in their minds is, not how they will benefit
! themselves. but how they will benefit the
| father and mother and the brothers and sis.
tiers they leave behind. And of all those
| the number is very, very small that ever
| forget or neglect the loved ones at home
who. night and morning, on their knees
pray "Pater and Ave." to God and Mary
| for the absent one.
Monthly Remittances.
| The sums remitted by these boys ant
| girls furnish those at home with the mean.
| to till and to stock their land much bet
| ter than they did before, and to live ii
| much greater ease and comfort There Il
no more touching and beautiful phase O
this question than that presented by tn
Irish servant girls of America, who tot
sorely and perseveringly with the one hop
| ever in mind-that of remirting the month
| ly five or ten or fifteen dollars to thei
poor father at home, the thought Of who's
| struggles often makes them cry over thei
work in the kitchen.
Ten days before last Christmas I droppe
into some of the post offices of New Yor
to watch the long lines of poor Irish girls
each with yellow application blank in he
hand, patiently waiting her chance to oh
tain the little money order which was t
bring cheer and joy at Christmas tide t
the cabin hearth in the little isle beyon
the sea. The goodness and the faithfulnes
and devotion Of these poor girls impresse
me so that / said to myself: Surely, Go
will not forget a country that produces sue
| women!'
Many Go Back With Their Cash.
But over and above the sums of none
| sent home by the emigrant boys and girl