The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-01-07
Shortage of Crops in West of Ireland Brings
About the Most Critical Situation
Since 1S47.
By the End 'of January Hundreds of People
Will Be Dying Of Starvation Unless
SPEEDY Relief is Secured.

The west OF Ireland is on tile verge
of a famine. There can be no doubt
that distress, in many places amount
ing to famine, exists at present through
out the west of Ireland, says Maud
Come MacBride in a Paris dispatch
of January 1 to the Chicago Chronicle.
BY the end of January hundreds OF
people will be dying of starvation If
speedy and strenuous measures are not
taken for their relief. Already thou
sands are existing on one meal a day,
consisting of a plate Of Indian meal
stirabout or tea, often without milk,
and dry bread.
The English government does not
wish to prevent famine in Ireland: it
forms part Of it's system Of govern
ment. It will do nothing to save the
people, unless forced to do so by tue
pressure of public opinion abroad or
by the desperate resolve of the people
themselves to seize food by force, and
men weak from want Of food are not
often capable of such desperate and
courageous actions.
The Irish papers have columns ev-
cry day describing the painful condi-
tion of the people and the English pa
pers corroborate them fully. The Lon
don Globe admits that the Irish potato
crop is between so and 60 per cent be-
low the average.
The correspondent Of the London Ex-
press writes: "The west of Ireland is
face to face with the most serious situ-
alton which has threatened that pov-
erty-stricken country since the dark
days that preceded the devastating
famine of 1S47. A hundred thousand
people, as fine peasantry as ever
breathed, frank, Woodworking and
thrifty, are in condition which is al
most desperate"
Yet the English government does
.aothing. Boards Of guardians, district
and urban councils, clergymen, repre-
sentative men from the different coun-
ties. have all appealed in vain to the
foreign government that ruins our
country.
One clergyman at an important meet
ing of the clergy in the Clifden dis
trict to consider the best means Of
coping with the distress said in bitter
irony: "Let them die and then sub
scribe to send the dead bodies to the
chief secretary. 1t is only then that
Dublin castle will open it's eyes to the
real condition of the people,
1t is terrible to think that if the gov
ernment had wished this present fam
inc and all the horrible misery it
brings with it might have been avoided
and at but small cost. Signs of potato
disease were visible in many places
last year and had provision been made
for enabling the people to get fresh
wholesome seed the present famine
would have been avoided.
EARLY in 1908 the Castlerea district
council appealed to the local govern
1nent board to enable it to distribute
fresh seed to the people in the district
The local government board replied
that it saw no necessity for doing SO
The crop last year was a disma
failure. showing still greater evidence
Of disease and decay. Again the vita
necessity of providing fresh seed wal
put before the local government board
with the same result. This years crol
is too bad even for pigs to feed on ant
the people are obliged to part will
their stock at ridiculously small prices
being unable to feed them.
Tn the Swinford Union Mr.. Sheridan
P. T.. G.. remarking on the price o
cattle and pigs, said: "Pigs are drul
on the market; they are sold in Swim
ford Mt 5 shillings ($125) each."
A woman on being asked why sh
sold them so cheap said she had no pc
tatoes to feed them. Even the pig
: are dying of hunger.
The Dublin Daily 1ndepndent in it
article on the distress quoted heart
rending tale from Ballinamore Of
whole family of PEASANTS wiped on