The Irish standard., 1904-09-03

value, and with rent in excess of
what the land should legitimately bear.
The farms, such as they are, are ex-
tremely small; over two-thirds Of all
the holdings are less than 80 acres in
extent, and almost one out of every
three farms is less than 10 acres in
size To certain extent cooperation
has been introduced among these farm
ers, but as rule the poverty Of the
individual and his ignorance Of the
general conditions Of farming render
it difficult for him to combine. The
farms are, upon the whole, i'll kept,
and the conditions under which they
are held are such as to discourage any
particular thrift or uncommon energy.
The men engaged in industry and in
transportation in Ireland earn consid-
erably less than do their brethren in
England and Scotland, and upon the
whole the proportion of unskilled
workers in Ireland is much larger than
in the other two countries named,
while the pay for the same grade of
work is less. In general, it is true to
say that the Irish workman earns on
an average about one-half the amount
earned in the industrial countries of
England and Scotland. The common
laborer in England, who will earn $4.75
week in Northumberland or Durham
or $3.50 in London, will earn only
1925 in Belfast and $4.1O in Dublin,
and about $3.50 in other places in Ire
land. The general surface laborer in
mines will earn from 1925 to $4.75 in
the north of England and would earn
about $3.50 in Tipperary, Antrim Or
Sligo. The spinners in the woolen
mills who earn $3.50 in Leeds will get
but $4.75 in Ireland.
Ten years ago an investigation was
made into the condition of the railroad
employees in England, Scotland and Ire
land and it was found that while only
one employe in 500 earned less than
Is shillings, OF 1915 a week in Eng
land, and only in so earned less than
that amount in Scotland almost half
Of all the railroad employees earned Is
shillings or less in Ireland. The pov-
erty can also be shown by the yearly
migrations of agricultural workers
from Ireland to England and Scotland.
Every year some $4,000 Irishmen cross
the sea to earn 81 day during har-
vesting time and then return to their
homes, for the most part in the County
of Mayo. The wages which fail to at
tract English and Scotch workmen
thus draw thousands of Irishmen over
the water even though the savings
that can be effected by trip of this
sort are very considerable.
Much improvement is looked for in
the condition of Ireland from the land
laws recently passed by the British
government. These laws contemplate
the purchase Of the land from the
present owners under conditions i'll
volving the guarantee of the govern.
ment, and on terms which are made
as favorable as possible for the tenant
There is some complaint even under
these laws Of the exorbitant prices
demanded by the landlords, but the
general impression appears to be that
the new act is the first step, toward
remedying the grievious conditions
under which Ireland has suffered for
over century.
Another hopeful sign in the situa-
tion of Ireland at the present time is
the energy with which the working
population has entered into the
trades-union movement. The people
are endeavoring to secure by industrial
means what they formerly sought to
obtain exclusively by political action.
The optimistic hope that all would
be we'll as soon as home rule was
achieved, has now given place to re-
alization of the many other problems
which beset the Irish worker. The
Irish trade unions are to consider
able extent separtely organized, and by
means Of their trade councils they
have secured the adherence Of the
Irish political party to their plans for
the improvement of the working
classes. When the British workmen
have succeeded in electing a large
number Of members Of Parliament
they will count, as in the past, upon
the adherence Of the Irish party in
support Of their measures. - John
Mitchell, President Mine Workers, in
Baltimore Sun.
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