Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-09-03

Everyone who has ever contributed penny toward the complex cause of Ireland must feel greatly pleased, and the stories and reports that come from the thousands of tourists that have visited that country this summer. There is no one in this land with the courage to deny that the people of Ireland have been slandered more than the people of any other country on the broad face of Gods earth. They have been called everything but smart or lively or sufficiently awake to their interests to seize the proper opportunity to advance themselves. But as facts are irrefutable the stories that have come from Ireland this year of the great progress that has been made there must, be believed. A people such as constitute the popuIa- ton of Ireland could not refrogade. A cumulative population must ever pro- gress, and the Irish have been fighting for their own for centuries. With such an element tugg1ng forever at the heart strings of a country 1t could not fail to advance. Yet there are many who will contend that Ireland has made no progress, and to the ob- servant tourist, particularly one who is at all acquainted with the history of the country, it is easy to see how this serious mistake can be made.
 A trip through Ireland must neces- sarily arouse the interest of an 1rrsh visitor He may wonder at the meth ods used on the railroads, but he must admit that he arrives at his destina- ton as rapidly as he will on any ralI- road in Connecticut and sooner than if he travelled on great many of them. The address of the railroad employe may surprise him, but If he ventures to inquire beyond the official capacity of that employe he is very liable to be told that he has all the native inquisftiveness of the Yankee, which is Patrick's old standby for telling too curious people that they ought to have business of their own to attend to. And if he objects to his baggage being plastered with labels, he may be. very promptly told that he Is "quare American, for sure they all like to have them on.''
 The tourist may have, or think he has, many grounds for complaint, but he must be the biggest crank just landed if he finds fault with the pro- ceedings and dispatch at the custom house in Queenstown. Patrick may be slow in many things but his elas- ticity and suppleness in the custom house at Queenstown is actually sur pTfsing. The passengers of the three classes are escorted to their respect tive departments to have their bag gage, which the English, or rather the Irish persist in calling luggage, ex- amined by the customs inspectors. The rapidity with which this inspec- ton takes place shows at once that it is superficial in the extreme and that the passengers word is considered as good as his bond with the inspectors. Indeed, unless the inspectors use ex- rays unknown to the passengers there is no reason why sufficient explosives could not be taken into the country any day a. liner arrives, to blow all England into eternity. Cork is the first destination of all tourists. It cannot fail to be, for it is the only great railroad center in the south of Ireland. Usually the visitor takes a few hours to view the city and if he has had the good luck to have been born there he cannot fail to wonder at the sight that meets his gaze.
 A trolley on the narrow gauge rush. es by him while he Is wondering which direction will take him to the city, and incidentally pretending to not hear the cry of the ''jarvfes" '.Car yer honor'', "Car yer honor sure I'll drive ye around the city in the wink O yer eye, yer honor" "Ah yer honor'' another jaryey shouts give her ladyship a sight O the beautiful city by the Lee. Sure, his holy reverence, Father Prout, God be with him, this blessed day, wrote the great song.
 70, Cork is the Alden
 For you, love, an me-"
 If the tourist is a Celt, this poetic assault causes him to surrender and with the "lady'' he tries the jar~-y with the ''lady" he hires the jaryey I or, divil the pinny more.'
 As 1t would take many an hour t~ see 'sthe city by the silyery Lee'', il