The Irish standard., 1904-10-01

railroad directors will still be riding
on our nations neck ana strangling
it. The United Irishman has Just
been exposing our benevolent railway
officials. In carriage of all articles
and material in Ireland the rates are
almost so per cent higher than in Eng
land and Scotland. In some cases the
Irish rates are double the British. The
passenger rates in Ireland are equally
eNOrbitant A comparison with Brit
iSh passenger fares shows that where
1872 pence are charged on the Irish
railways S31 pence are charged on
the Scotch and only 1856 pence on the
English railways. The large fare
charged in Ireland is, doubtless, a
tribute to Irish wealth and generosity
says Seamas MacManus, in st. Paul
Globe.
Here is a table of comparative fares
compiled by the United Irishman: III
For a GG-milc railway journey, p
pence is paid on Danish railways, 3G
pence on Russian, 80 pence on Belgian
40 pence on Dutch, 4S pence on
Sweden, 53 pence on German and GG
pence on Irish railways.
For a journey of 1G5 miles the Dane
pays SO pence, the Russian 81 pence
the Belgium and Hollandcr 9S pence
the Swcdc 1875 pence. the German 12e
pence and the hig-hearted. opcn-fistcd
Irishman gives 1G5 pence.
A penny in Ireland. he 1t remember
cd, is nominally of the value of two
cents in America, but the purchasing
power of a penny in Ireland is equiva.
lent to that of nickel in America, vet
the 1rishman pays an equal nominal
rate with America (who uses milenge)
for railway travcl-nnd so. two and
onc-half times the real rate. Small
wonder we are rich, repent
The Celts Of the Five NatfOns-that
is the Irish, Scotch, Manx, Welsh and
Breton Cclts-have Just held their an.
nunl Pan-Celtic congress in Carnar.
Won. in Wales. The honorcd Celtic
guests included such seeming incom.
patibles as George Moore, Marie Cor.
clli, Michnel Davitt, Hall Caine, Flor.
ace Plunkett and Francois valee.
The Daily Chronicle, which would
have it's joke, said: "It is highly
colorcd collection Of the hnppiest in
compatibles in the world who put their
heads together once year in cloud
land" After all, come to think Of it,
1t may he healthy for both body and
mind to get into and above the clouds
on occasion.
A pnn-Celtic gathering tightens the
bonds Of kinshjp-which are slacken-
ing-between the five little Celtic ma
tions. And for many other good rea-
sons which the world Of to-day is
wont to sneer as sentimental, the an
nual gathering is heartily to be COM
mended.
Cornwall, to which the ancient
Britons (Cclts also) were driven, ap-
penred by its representatives and
pleaded for recognition as a Celtic ma
ton. The Cornishmen permitted their
language to die (practically) almost a
century ago. The sod was drawn over
the very last native Cornish speaker
several years ago. To-day the Cornish
language is preserved by couple Of
scholars only. 1t is to be feared that
soon it must disappear forever. This
is pity, when the sister languages
are being so bravely fought for and
are revived. or assured Of revival.
I am wrong. though. Amongst the
other five. the Manx is probably des-
tined to die. 1t has probably another
half century of existence before It
only. Since Man became place Of
resort for English trippers, all the
Manx characteristics. language in
cluded, are quickly disappearing, and
must soon be in the limbo of the faded
glores of one-time great and world
conquering Celt = unless Mr.. Hall
Caine, with the royalties on one Of his
books, buy up his native land, ''rath,