The Irish standard., 1904-12-31

of detail in comparison with the great
problem of Irish poverty and recurrent
famines. The present situation shows
that these cooperative methods do not
avail to shield the people from the
dreadful consequences of failure of
n leading crop. Nothing will do that
SO long as Ireland remains in the list
of merely agricultural countries, which
is also the first of the countries
afflicted by recurrent famines. The
finest methods Of carrying on your
business are Of no avail when YOU have
nothing to sell.
The manifesto issued by the Home
Rule party, as reported by the Dublin
news mongers, blames the government
for the disastrous condition Of tho
country OH the ground that it has done
nothing to relieve the congested
districts of the West by transferring
Il part Of their population to the less
dcnsely peopled parts Of the island.
and this is just censure. It allowed
them to be driven to the West coast
by greedy landlords, who saw moro
profit in raising beef for the Englisl,
market than they could get from the
rents OF the small farmers. The now
Land Act makes some provision for
such relief Of the West coast, but not
so peremptory as it should be, and the
act itself seems to have fallen into bad
hands, us is usual in the administro.
'loh OIL a law not enforced by the
genuine representatives of the peonle
Tie Irish official is passcd-master Of
inc art how not to make Il law useful
TO the people, as in nine cases out of
ten he is taken from the class whose
cofhs are pnched by it's provisions.
ana in the tenth case he is apt to be
extremely anxious to stand well with
tlGlt class. For this reason there has
been great deal of disappointment
with the workings of the new act and
Il natural demand for legislation which
will go farther and work with more
dircctness.
But, even if the Land Act were
made compulsory on the Irish land.
lords, and the whole Of Ireland were
put into possession of it's actual cul-
tivators, the Irish problem would bc
as far from solution as ever. Without
repeal Of the laws of the economic
order, Ireland could not flourish under
merely agricultural system of in
dustry, No country on that lever ever
has prospcrcd or has escaped the re-
occurrence of famines at brief in
| tcryals, especially when it's population
has risen above 100 to the square mile.
1t then must attain to varied industry.
which will take large part of the
people from the land and give them
employment which will furnish some
resource when the crops fail. This
law is illustrated by the experience
OF every merely agricultural country
in the world, not excepting England
| herself, in those early centuries be-
fore Edward l. laid the foundation of
English manufactures. 1t has been
| illustrated in the agricultural districts
| of our own country again and again.
But the palmary illustrations of it are
Ireland and India under British rule.
1t is unfortunate that the Home
Rule party have not had man in
| their ranks since the death of Council
lor Butt who has been fully aware of
this fact. At one point of his career
Mr.. Parnell showed an appreciation of
the Importance Of other industries to
Ireland, but he never returned to the
| subject again. The resolutions Just
adopted in Dublin contain no refer
| ence to the willful ruin of Irish
manufactures by the Treaty of Union,
and no demand for their restoration by
any sort Of legislation. The truth is
that Mr.. Parnell, his associates and
his successors were brought up in an
atmosphere Of false economic opinion,
which has pervaded their whole action.
They have been victims of that teach
ing which Mr.. Butt, as professor in
Trinity College, antagonized after it