The Irish standard., 1900-09-15

tion to the population as to he prac-
tically no account to the masses of the
people.
Who is responsible for this? Obvi-
ously the British government alone.
1t is a sad, sad country, and no mis-
take. Talk about the mirth and Joy
of the Irish, believe they are the sad
dest people on the face of the earth.
And how could it well be otherwise? :?
The first fruits of the labor of the
Irish people go to enrich the stranger.
Before wife and children can he cared
for the landlords portion, which is
usually the larger, must he handed
over. Frequently there is not enough
left to keep body and soul together.
This is not hearsay. L have gone to
the little farms in all, parts of Ireland
and have a knowledge whereof I
speak.
But we can better understand the in
dustrial condition of ireland If we
review the report of. the Irish Regis
trar General for 1899. which has Just
been issued, and which draws atten-
tion very pointedly to some very un-
happy features Of Irish slife.
While natural increase of population
for instance-thht is to say, the excess
of births over deaths-was 24,2O1, the
loss by emigration was no less than
Al ,232, the decrease in population dur
ing the year being thus 1901.
Perhaps all this will be, better appre-
ciaited when Istate that since the Irish
Parliamentary party split into factions
half million Irish men, women and
childreH-one-tenth Of the population
Of the country in 1s90-have left the
native shores. 1t is said with truth
that this is an appalling fact to con-
template.
These are facts which l would ask
Americans who have visited Ireland to
ponder well, before they allow the hn-
pressions of superficial examination
to take root in their minds. have
met scores of Americans in Ireland,
and l fear that the opinions which
they have formed have not been COM
plimentary to the Irish people. am
no apologist for the shortcomings
which in many places are too obvious,
but believe that extenuating circum-
stances should he presented wherever
possible. - s@s.S
The British government alone must
be held responsible for the lamentable
industrial condition prevailing in Ire
land.
Just now the press of the three king
doms is ringing with praise of dis
tinguished Irishman, the late Lord
Russell, who, during his life, typified
all that .is best and noblest in the
Irish character. merely mention this
to show that, other things being equal,
the Irishman has nothing to fear in
the rude competition of life.
Just at the present time also the
same press ia loudly ncclaiming praise
to another Irishman, Lord Iveagh. who
has recently announced his intention
of spending half million dollars in
the erection of suitable habitations for
the desperate poor of the city of Lon
don. do not see that Lord Iveagh Is
entitled to any credit for thus doing
his duty. Lord Iveagh is better known
by the name of Guinness-one of the
proprietors of the big Dublin brewery.
He is many times a millionaire, made
SO by the pennies of the Irish poor,
who would drown the sOrrows of their
sad condition in the momentary joys
of the commodity which has given
Lord Iveagh his title and his millions.
In expending a half million dollars
for the betterment of Dublin's wretch
ed poor he but makes partial return
to his benefactors.
OF one thing l am more firmly con-
vinced than ever now that my eyes
have seen it's needs, viz: that only
Home Rule can give prosperity and
contentment to the Irish people.