Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-08-10
The Industrial Revival in Ireland

Dear Editor
This is indeed glorious day 70,
Ireland. IT'S the date of the conse
Grafton of the new Cathedral il
Armagh, 1.-The Rome of Ireland. How
divine must that religion be tina,
after 400 years of dire persecution
and confscation causes that magni.
ficent temple to arise from the ruin
and decay of the olden shrine.
Ten thousand Levites and millions
and millions ofthe Catholic laity that
owe their faith to St. Patrick look
from afar across the ocean, and like
me who am almost 10000 miles
away, draw inspiration from the
scene.
1t is to be hoped that Dublin will
now be stimulated to replace its pro-
cathedral by an edifce similar tic
this, for Dublin enjoys the unique
and unenviable distinction of being
the capital of a Catholic nation, and
yet of having no Catholic cathedral
while having two Protestant ones
(Which were stolen, however, from
the Catholics.)
Catholic Ireland whose christian
heroism embellishes many page in
ecclesiastical history is alas, fast be-
coming Protestant Ireland. The
Catholic portions of the country are
fast losing by emigration, while the
prosperous Protestant part is gain
ing in population. Ireland, the
stronghold Of the Celt, is fast decay
ing. This is the serious problem
that confronts every Irishman,
worthy of the name. What is to be
done?
| have seen the appeal to the Irish
to remain at home on patriotic
grounds. But It's scarcely fair to
ask people to do this unless provi-
sion be made for their home pros
perity. The centennial of Emmett
death has come and gone and yet the
time for Emmet's immortal epitaph
seems to be farther away than ever.
To enable Ireland to take her place
amongst the nations, united effort
and a determined effort must be
made to add to her material wealth,
and hence l offer the following sug-
gestions:
l. Lessen the number of whiskey
shops; for they degrade the charac-
ter, blacken the life, waste the re-
sources and ruin the home IRE
land sober; Ireland free"
2. Corral the tribe of beggars
that are to be found in every town,
and who, too often, spend their aims
for whiskey, and induce them to be
Industrious. Those mendicants
ought to be employed in some
industry where skilled labor is moi
required, and leave begging to the
feeble, the manned and the blind
3. If Ulster owes her prosperity
to her linen industry, why should
not Munster rival her in the wooden
and Leinster and Connaught in the
cotton business? Why could we
not see ships sail up the lordly
Shannon with cotton cargoes as well
as up the Mursey? Could not Cork
be as noted for its woolens, Dublin
for it poplins and cutlery, and Jun.
erick and Galway for their cottons,
just as well as Belfast for its linens:
What's to hinder? England gets
her wool and cotton and iron and
silk from abroad, and her help from
Ireland. Why could not Ireland
import her raw stuff and employ
her help at home?
4. Technical schools ought to be
established throughout the land tc
train the youths under skilled work.
men, for the various industries,
while the factories are a-building
yes even the national schools ought
to be utilized. To facilitate the
rapid erection Of factories each town
should furnish volunteer stone
masons and bricklayers.
5. Perhaps it would be well te
have these factories public or town
property. Or let them be co-opera.
tive institutions. Persons getting
stock in same according to the casf
or material or labor contributed
Citizens in each locality should CO
operate toward such buildings
Even the poorest could contribute il
nothing more, the building materia
that now lies around the house in
dicating wreck and ruin. Stool
could be issued for all such materia
How stimulating would be the sigh
ola poor man contributing such I,
erect a factory wherein he and hi
family could get employment. Onl,
let enthusiasm seize the people, le
them realize that they are threaten
ed with national extinction and fac
tories will spring up as fast as earth
works and Notifications in face o
the enemy. .
6. And let me say right her
that the moors and lowlands shout,
be reclaimed. By a little drainag
they could easily be made five time
as productive for cattle, by plantin,
alfalfa and millet, leaving the highe
and rougher land for sheep. The,
thousands of cattle and sheep coul,
be raised where hundreds are raise,
now.
Z. Cleanliness in butter maxim,
must be better observed SO tina
what is now End and 3rd class coul,
be LIST class. Improved breed Of liv
stock should be used when practic
able for while the maintenance
about the same as inferior class ther
is a vast difference selling day.
8. Turf or peat should be com
pressed and its calorific qualitiesin