The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-09-01
THE EXODUS FROM IRELAND.

rHE EXODUS FROM IRELAND.
The report of the registrar-general
for Ireland tells the old, old tale of a
nation fast running to decay, says
the Dublin Frceman's Journal. Mr..
N1atheson, the successor of DIR. Grim
shaw, has done his work exceedingly
well. Both in arrangement, subdivi.
sion, and illustration his budget of sta
tlstics is far in advance of previous
publications. The map and diagrams
published in the report are in them
selves most valuable as exhibiting at
glance comparative statistics of a
most interesting kind. 1t is sad state
of affairs exceedingly we'll presented.
a few figures from the report serve to
show how Ireland stands. The excess
of births over deaths was 24,2O1. That.
under normal conditions, should rep.
resent roughly the increase in popula,
ton. Emigration, however, has to be
counted with. The figures for the past
year We're 41,22%t22. That leaves a net
decrease in the population of 1901.
The statistics of the ages of the emf
grants are more depressing still. or
all emigrants ~ per cent were under
Is years of age 800 were between Il
and 80; and 9.4 per cent were 80 years
and upwards. That is to say, over
900 persons under 35 years of age
left Ireland last year The snug Brit
ish economist for Il long time looked
upon emigration as Il remedy for the
condition in ireland. He reasoned
from the point of view that Ireland
not being able 10 support her popula-
ton Il reduction in the number Of
mouths to feed meant a better chance
6f life for the remainder. 1t was an
argument founded on false premises.
and i'll every way economically uu-
sound. Ireland is not unable to sup.
port her population. If she had not
the landlords 10 support as we'll SHE
could easily maintain three times the
present estimated population of four
millions and half. Emigration, as it
is at present conducted, decreases the
food available for the support of the
people, so as to more than counterbal-
ance the reduction in the number OF
mouths to feed. Thirty-siX thousand
of the young and vigorous-the labor
ers and the producers-have gone
away. They have left behind them
the aged and the infirm. The workers
are gone and the unfit remain, and
there will be greater starvation than
ever in the districts from which they
have been withdrawn. AS the bishop
of Clonfert reminded us n few days
ago. no less than 100000 acres of Irish
land have gone out of cultivation with
In the last few years. If these 100000
acres We're divided amongst the 10000
young emigrants who have left Ireland
this year what a difference it might
mean for their old people and for Ire
land. Such division would give them
IL acres each. or over SO acres for every
average family of five. Add the an
nual productiveness of these 10000 to
the income of Ireland, and we have on
a small scale the problem that lies be-
fore those who would settle the Irish
question. When will our rulers see
that their own interests as well as ours
lie in keeping the people at home to
make the soil fruitful and mayhap, in
happier circumstances and under a
free government to help the empire in
the legitimate defence of it's rights.
Who can doubt that $1,000 additional
enemies of England have been landed
by last years emigrant vessels in
every quarter of the globe? Had the
home rule bill of 1886 been carried
they might have been the friends Of
England at home instead of her enc
mics abroad. The lesson is a terrible
one for the statesmen of an empire
that a much smaller nation than Ire
land has shaken to it's very foun1a.
lions.