The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-16
IRELAND FACES
GREAT FAMINE
NOTED NEW YORK SocloLoGlsT
SAYS REVOLT LIKELY 70
FOLLOW HUNGER.
POTATO CROP FAILURE
Two Million Emigrants Left ireland
ard One Million Acres Less
Under Cultivation In
Forty Years.

!, london Sept. 15.-Robert Hunter
tho well known New York sociolcgist
latter many months OF study nf the tn
dutsrial and sociological conditions n
the chief cities Of Europe. has re
turned to Londcn In Ireland he
istudied conditions closely. especially
lin the western counties. Mr.. Hunter
lsaId today:
THE trouble with Ireland Is land,
lcrdisni. The people cannot get land
anough to till to make living Mis-
cry and poverty Dir visible In the
western counties. Depressing famin-
Ious conditions are certain To prevail
there during the winter. The potato
crop has been an entire failure owing
To the wet summer, With famine
menacing them there Ii no telling
what the people may be driven to this
winter.
"Tbe government authorities are
becoming alarmed. They are increass
ling the police force everywhere.
Obviously the government Is expect
ling widespread trouble this winter.
| Since the strike of the Royal Irish
Constabulary in Belfast the authori.
| ties have reason to believe that the
| traditional loyalty of this splendid
body of men may have been dinin.
ished.
Il found demand for home rule
lgreater than ever, There Is q spirit
lrf revolt In the air. ! was struck by
the enthusiasm of the members of
Ivarions organizations to secure an
| Irish Ireland. Wherever | went |
found people attending public meet
ings where vast crowds showed their
deadly carnestnoss In demanding
hcma rule,
The Irish have ceased to expegt
Ianything from the British parltalns !.
|They decline tc accept anything but
home rule They are convinced that
the time for compromise has passed.
Home rule or nothing is their cry
wag amazed to find everywhere
young men Joining leagues for the
economic upbuilding Of Ireland
"On the agrarian side things are
becoming serious. In many counties
the people are resorting to violence
to prevent the letting of farms for
grazing.
'The demand that farms be let for
tilling In order to provide food for
many families. In one county revolu-
ton practically prevails. In several
places the people are seized with the
ancient hunger for land. They want
land In order that they may live. In
many places the people are living On
bread, potatoes and tea, while thou.
sands of rich acres are near by which |
they are unable TO rent.
II was surprised TO find a wave Of |
temperance sweeping over ireland. |
Young men everywhere are preaching |
the moral cause OF temperance on
political grounds. II is argued that |
the way to hit England is to stop in.
creasing Englands revenue from the
sale Of beer and whisky.
This policy Is certain to decrease
the bank accounts of the largest Irish |
landlords and distillers. It Is NV un.
popular for young Irishmen to drink. |
ireland today contains more extra |
ordinary young men of intelligence |
and industry than I've seen In any
other country. ireiand's salvation de
pends upon her youth; that they will
not fail her. Ireland's grievances are
real. disagreement and landlordism
are at the bottom OF them. From 1871 |
10 1897 100000 sturdy emigrants left |
Ireland. In 81 years the populationl
has decreased 20 per cent. while Eng
lands population has increased in
the same ratio. IN 1871 there we're |
5621.000 acres under cultivation. In
1906 only A72700O. nearly 100000
acres fIand have gone out of cult.
yation in 80 years. That is where the
Irish shoes pinches.
while II is becoming more diff
cult for people to get land. yet taxa
ton is increasing and the population
decreasing. In 1871 taxation In Ire
lend was t35. 900. and in 1906 II
had increased to nearly $50 900 600
The per capita taxation has nearly
doubled in 40 years.
ITO sum up economic conditions:
Within ~ years the population has
decreased 1917 per cent the laad cul
iivated i7is per cent. while tsxstiou
has increased 71iz per cent And /
has increased 81 per cent.
Do You wonder that Ireland should
.lsmor for home rule7'