The Irish standard., 1905-01-21
Past Season Was the Worst the People of
West Have Known Since the Great
Plague Year, 1879.
The People of Finland and Poland Were
Never So Sorely Distressed as are
the Irish People Now.

Ill those places through Which passed
in counties Donegal, Galway, Mayo,
Roscommon and Cork.
The Irishmen themselves are not to
blame for this condition. This is
proven by the known fact that once
they reach America they display re-
markable intelligence and industry.
Moreover, even in their own country,
wherever theyare properly encouraged,
they display a character and conduct
highly creditable to human nature.
Many public works in the United
States have been constructed by the
muscles and sinews of Ireland In his
own country, no sooner is an Irishman
enlisted in the police force, or "con-
stabulary," than he displays ability,
cleanliness, trustworthiness, and an
aptitude for discipline. When he emil
CRATES to New York he joins the police
force, and makes a good policeman,
too, as Mulberry Street will tell you.
The Irishman predominates in Tam
many Hall-not always for the worse
and he has large place in the board
of aldermen and the city government
departments. From these come our
Bourke Cockrans, our Gilroys, Cur
Crimminses, as we'll as our Crokers
and Deverys. And from other ranks
of Irishmen in the United States come
our S. S. McClures, our Chauncey o.
colts, and our Archbishop Irelands.
1 wanted to take some photographs
Of the squalid homes in this section,
but was not permitted to do so. Wher-
ever there was picture worth taking,
there, also, was constable" This
particular constable said that he had
no personal objection to my taking pic
lures, but that the people were sensi-
tive and would set upon me with stones
if focused my camera upon them.
In the fields just outside the city Of
Corlz-the birth city of Justin Huntley
McCarthy-I asked some farm hands
what they were paid for days work.
'Nine pence eighteen cents), they re-
piled.
My start on this trip was from the
Irish capital. Now, the best thing
about Dublin is it's splendid lungs
open squares everywhere. In one Of
these squares lives the lord-lieutenant,
Lord Dudley. He is as accessible to
callers as the mayor of New York. On
my own recognizance, stating that 1
was correspondent for Leslies Week
ly, I was admitted to his lordship's
presence. After advising me as to a
route after leaving the railway, he
said: '"There are Englishmen who
think the Irishman a comic creature.
They suppose him to be ever a roaring
blade who wears a frieze coat, knee
breeches, and hat with pipe in its
band; who sleeps with the pigs, lives
on potatoes, and gets drunk constantly.
The fact is, the Irishman is distin-
guished as much for his melancholy as
for his humor. The Irish peasant is
immeasurably above his English coun-
terpart in the matter of mind. Lead
him well, and he will achieve any,
thing. Feed his mind, and it will as.
simulate wonderfully. If Englishmen
would come over here and see Ireland
with their own eyes we should soon
have an Irish BOOM"
come now to phase of life in Ire
land which, in common with most peo-
pie, 1 supposed no longer existed. In
the Roscommon district came to COL
lection of stout stone cabins, but not a
sign of life could be seen. 1 climbed
out of the cart and entered one Of the
cabins, then another, till I had visited
all. Not one contained human being,
nor was there any indication that the
cabins had been used for habitations
for some time. From every one of
these huts the insolvent tenants had
been evicted, because all their money
had been paid out for "king's taxes"
leaving them not penny for rent The
driver of the cart told me that the
evictions had taken place previous to
the visit Of King Edward, and that
since that royal visit evictions in the