The Irish standard., 1908-11-14

I have received several letters asking
why Ireland is not prosperous. Ireland
is prosperous. The people of that coun-
try are more prosperous today than
they have been for generations. They
are more prosperous than the people
of England or Scotland, except in GER
tain sections where poverty is chronic
because Of climatic reasons and the
barrenpess Of the SOIL. Nevertheless,
they are not SO prosperous as they
ought to be under the circumstances,
and: it would require book, and a
large book, to repeat the many theories
that are offered to explain the situa-
tion. It is a question upon which very
few people agree, and they probably
never will agree. There are almost as
many theories as there are people.
Therefore discussion is not only dis
agreeable but it would lead Immediate
ly into politics, writes VIM. E. Curtis
to ,,tAe Chicago Record Herald. = e
There 10 no limit to the demand for
Irish agricultural products at good
prices, but the cultivated area Of the
island continues to Diminish annually,
and the area given up to pasturase
and the. breeding of cattle and sheep
increases. The Irish farmer has an un-
limited market for bacon, hams, butter.
eggs, poultry, potatoes and other veg
etables in London, Liverpool, Man
chester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow
and other great ma aufacturing cities
which are now very largely fed by Hol-
land and Denmark. More eggs and
poultry. more butter and bacon, are
imported into England from Denmark
than from Ireland. notwithstanding THE
difference in distance and cost of trans
portation. The provision dealers OF
the great manufacturing cities of Eng
land always have agents in Ireland
and the department of agriculture and
the Irish Agricultural Organization so
ciety are both active and efficient in
securing and cultivating markets fol-
Irish products They are advancing
large sums of money to establish CO.
operative dairies and to improve the
dairy cattle, the swine and poultry OF
Ireland, but many Of the farmers are
Indifferent to their opportunities and
with the happy-go lucky characteristic
OF. the Irish race are happy and salts.
fled so long as they have enough tc
feed their own mouths.
The exports Of barnyard products
from Ireland to England in 1907 were
as follows: ....,
Bacon ................... 1850 ,61l
Eggs ....... .......".......... 15,8S7,05
Dressed poultry ........... 1925, 5,00l
These amounts are considerable, bu
they might have been very mucl
larger. The imports of similar article.
from Denmark were double. 1t costs
little or nothing to produce bacon, egg
and poultry ir Ireland. No extra labo
is required on the farm to look afte
the pigs and chickens. The agriculture
department and the irish Agriculture
Organization society, which is a pri
vatc and semi-philanthropic enterpris
to promte self-help among the farm
cis, are trying to convince them o
this fact, and are succeeding in con
siderable degree. Industrial confer
ences are being held In different citie
regularly, and are awakening the peo
pie from their indifference. They al
largely attended by the more intelIieen
and progressive classes of farmers an
arc addressed by experienced and CON
potent men.
At meeting held in September 1906
at Galway, the earl of Dunraven. VIII
is an energetic and patriotic leader il
the movement for industrial progress.
proposed resolution. which was rnal,
imously adopted. that an organize
effort be made to develop the expor
trade. and that steps he taken to &c
cure reliatss Information as = suitabl