The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-09-07
Present Day Conditions of the Country
are Described by Him in an
Interesting Style.
Because of Small Acreage Under Tillaee
Farming Products Come from
the United States.

l have been in Ireland for the past
three weeks, and the more l see Of II
the better l like it, the closer l an
drawn to its attractive people. 1t re-
mains a perfect Kaleidoscope of con
trariticS, except in one thing, the un.
quenched and unwavcring faith Of the
masses to tho Irish cause ana ideals
And though the factions seem to be
more bitter against each other than
against the garrison" that they re-
sist, yet beneath all the roar of dc,
bate there remains faith in and service
for Ireland, writes Richard j. Hinton
in the Boston Herald.
The physical force people do not
seem heartily, at least, to approve of
the agitation for the appropriation Of
the Irish landlords by state purchase
and the transfer Of the land on long
term to the tenant occupants, but
to me 1t appears the most vital of all
The possible political and economic re-
construction forces now in existence.
Yet they are earnest in supporting the
Gaelic movement. The growing strength
of the movement for the encourage
ment Of Irish industries is another
good sign, as is also that for Industrial
and technical education, and the with
ering criticism of Archbishop Walsh
on the mismnnagemcnt of the national
school board. These are nil efficient
forces in the rehcartening struggle for
Ireland that is now shaping itself.
But what a struggle it Is to be.
Look first at the population problem.
Within GO years the Irish people at
home have diminished in volume by
nearly three and onc-half millions.
The increase for 1921 to 1S41 was
1,373,00O while the decrease for the
next twenty years was 1,37G,OOO. But
these figures by no means tell the
whole story, for there is probably no
civilized community in the world will,
so large proportion Of non-producers
and dependents as the present popula-
tion Of Ireland. Emigration has been
and still is constant drain Of the
most vigorous elements.
Then the difficulty Of getting remu-
nerative work at home annually takes
to Great Britain very large proper
tion Of its agricultural labor, and ev-
cry such migration leaves behind a
certain residuum. There are more old,
helpless, blind, halt and lame than the
community can properly care for. And
then there Is another paradox in tire
religious earnestness of the masses.
The Catholic church is the faith glver
and friend of the Irish. Every family
that can educate fifty son or daugh-
ter desires to give them to it's service;
and they give freely, too, to all the
church demands.
Orange bigotry is today the most
disturbing element in Ireland, and it
Is without doubt the most actively dis
loyal to public order, at least.
Yet, it is not denied that it is diff
cult for any but Protestant Irishman
to get billet in the select and favored
corps Of armed constables.
The decrease in sixty years of those
engaged in agriculture is not less than
100000 persons. 1t Is constant feat
ure Of British legislation for Ireland
that, let the motives and purposes be,
as. it has often been, benefcient or
ameliorativc in terms, the bigoted and
corrupt administration garrison which
controls all British details Mt home,
have always managed to pervert the
same and turn it into an agency of
class and garrison" power. The law
may be Irish; its execution is always
hostile thereto. And all administra-
ton is overloaded with salary eaters
in departments, offices and commits
sions.
The total area of Ireland Gas report
ed by Mr.. Coyne in the Irish Glasgow
Hand Book in 1900 was 20,333, ,344
acres. The reclamation of certain
shore and bog areas makes slight
increase possible. Yet the total area
Of usable land is only 15,546,311 acres,