The Irish standard., 1900-10-27
WHAT AN HONEST SCOTCHMAN SAYS
One of the Greatest Curses is
Absentee Landlordism.
CONSTANT DECREASE IN ULATIOl
Earnings of Various Classes of
Agricultural Laborers.

Agricultural LabOrerS.
Mr.. Richard Williamson, of Glas-
gov, contributed the following article
to recent issue of the Montrose, Ar
broath and Brechin Review:
The only freedom which deserves the
name is that of pursuing our own good
in our own way, SO long as we do not
attempt to deprive others of theirs or
impede their efforts to obtain it, Each
is the proper guardian of his own
health, whether bodily or mental or
spiritual Mankind are greater gain
ers by suffering each other to live as
seems good to themselves than by COM
pelling each to live as seems good to
the rest.-John Stuart Mill.
At the present moment there is no
more pathetic scene than that of Ire
land being slowly but surely exter-
minated. Day by day we hear the cry
of agony of one of the finest nations in
the world in it's death throes, being
practically done to death by Great
Britain, the boasted home Of civiliza-
tion and seat Of liberty. That such an
outrage on humanity can be perpetrat-
ed in the end of the Nineteenth cen
tury seems incredible, but the facts are
so complete and overwhelming that
they admit of no dispute. When first
visited Ireland in 1883 she had a pop
ulation of 5,412,377. In 1891 she had
a population of 4.7O4,7 $50, and it will
thus be seen that between these years
alone, the country lost over 100000 Of
it's inhabitants. At the present time
she is blessed with u population-esti-
mated last July-of 4,S15, Al, popula-
tion which is being rapidly reduced
every week. From May, 1851, to De-
cember, 1899, 3,796, ,131 persons left Ire
land, 1881, ,443 of whom were males,
and 1,814,6SS females. During the
year 1899 alone, 43,7OO, or 81 per 1000
Of the population, left, S2.9 per cent.
of whom were between the ages of
fifteen and thirty-fve. The exodus
from Queenstown has in many weeks
reached close on 5000, and the cry is
'still they CO." Within the last fifty
years the population has been reduced
by one-half, and if the exodus goes on
at the same rate for the next fifty
years the result will be-Oh, glorious
probability!-there will be no Irish
question to settle.
Ireland is the one country in the
world which has shown continuous
decrease in her population under Brit
ish rule. Each census shows a consid-
cradle increase in England and Scot
land. According to the Registrar Gen.
erals estimate, the population Of the
three Kingdoms amounted to 4O,921 ,371
in July last, or an advance Of 1885,
58S since the census Of 1891. Here
are the figures:
SeuSuS 1oo1. July, 15UU.
England .... .29,OO2,525 32,O91 ,907
Scotland 90. .... 4,O25647 4,312, 1903
Ireland 80. 5000. 4,7O4,75O 4,515,471
1t will be observed that Scotland and
Ireland are now almost on a level,
whereas in the beginning of the cen
tury the population of Ireland was
double that Of Scotland. Surely this
alone is a sufficient Indictment Of Brit
ish rule in Ireland.
Owing to the misgovernment of Ire
land, the commercial and Industrial
history of the country during the last
hundred years has been one of steady
decline. Most Of the old industries are
dying out, and 1t is impossible to find
traces Of any new industries being
opened up. In fact, it is impossible to
obtain British capital for the purpose
Of creating any new industry and CIV
ing employment to the population Of
the country, and the consequence is
that, as the Industries decline, the peo-
pie are left with the choice between
starvation and emigration. Naturally
they choose the latter, and it is to the
United States that a majority of them
find their way. have stood at Castle
Garden, New York, and watched them
landing in their thousands, the major
ity of them young men and young wo-
men-the youth and bloom of the Irish
nation. 1t is with bright eye and buoy
ant step that they tread the streets Of
the great city, thinking, no doubt, of
the dollars they will soon be able to
send to the old folks at home to help
to pay the rent, or maybe to help to