The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-04-09
Anti-Emigration Society Sees Danger Ahead
and Asks That the Outflow Be
Checked
Over 100000 Men and Women Have Come
to This Country During the Past
Twenty Years.

1--WE appeal to the Irish-American
and Catholic press and to the Irish
American bishops and clergy to do all
in their power to stop the steady flow
of emigration which is depopulating
Ireland; and finally we appeal to Irish
organizations and societies in America
to throw their united strength into an
effort to hold Ireland as the cradle
land Of the race
This is the keynote of a leatlet which
has been sent broadcast by the Anti
Emigration society of Ireland among
prominent Instantaneous. Many of
the tracts have been received in Amer-
ca. The society was organized in May,
1903, in Dublin, with Cardinal Logue,
archbishop of Armagh, as president,
and Il. A. Sheehan, bishop Of Water
ford and Lsmore; DIR. Michael +. Cox
and Rev. Peter OIeary as vice-pres-
dents. The pamphlet is signed by
these officers and the following:
Archbishop Thomas FcnncIly, of
Casllmcl; Archbishop John Hcaly, of
Tuam; Douglas Hyde. president of the
Gaelic League: John Sweetman, chair
man Meath County colony of Mime
sofa; John A. Glynn, chairman Galway
county council; Henry Egan, chair
man Kings county council; +. Il. Null
ally, chairman Tippcrary county coun-
ell; Edmund Nugcnt, chairman Water
ford county council; Peter Hughes,
chairman Loutl county council.
Startling facts in the dcpopulation of
the island are shown in the following
excerpts from the brochure:
The greatest danger threatening Ire
land today is the danger of the extinc-
ton of the Irish race within her own
shores. For sixty years the flow Of
emigration has gone on till the pOpu-
lation of the country is reduced to one
half what it was before the famine
In the last twenty years, according to
the report of the commissioner general
of immigration at Washington, no few
er than 100000 men and women have
emigrated from Ireland to the United
States alone. OF these 755,OOO, or SO
per cent. were in the prime of life, be-
tween the ages of Is and 35, and in
Ireland at the last census the whole
number Of persons Of these ages were
only 100000; so that the loss of her
young population in the last twenty
years was onc-half the present adult
population in the prime of life.
This enormous withdrawal of the
most vigorous portion Of the nation has
had it's natural results. The native
population is steadily falling; the mar
riage rate and the birth rate are the
lowest Of any civilized country; lunacy
is increasing to an alarming degree,
and the scarcity Of labor is felt in
many branches Of agriculture. While
the stream Of emigration sets towards
the West there is steady silent influx
of foreigners, who are rapidly consti-
tuting themselves the dominant COM
mercial and Industrial interest. At
the census of 1901 the foreign-born
population of the island had increased
by nearly 10000 in the decennial Pc
riod. If this double process Of emigra-
ton and plantation continues the
native Irish will soon be entirely sup
planted in their own land by people Of
other races.
The Irish in America have a great
responsibility in this crisis. It is esti-
mated the passage Of more than half
the emigrants is prepaid by relatives in
the United States. We appeal to Irish
Americans to stop this practice of send
ing prepaid transportation. Ireland
cannot afford to lose single one of
her children. Apart from the economic
loss, the emigration Of every adult
means the withdrawal of fighter
from the nations ranks. while the bat
tie for racial existence is proceeding.
According to the Anti Emigration So
ciety, ignorance of conditions prevail
ing in America and prepaid passage
tickets are the chief causes of emigra-
ton. The society combats the emigra-
ton movement by articles in Irish pa