Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-09-13
IRISH LEAVING ISLE
Loss Of Population Shown by the
Figures Just Out
LARGEST BIRTH RATE NO HELP
Emigration More Than Offsets This
Great Advantage.
HARD TIMES AHEAD AT BELFAST
Many Out Of Work and Coming Of
Winter is Dreaded.
MEANEST MAN Is FOUND AGAIN
Measured His Loaf and Beat His wife
when She Cut "a slice in Or
der to AppeRse Her
Hunger.
MEANEsT MAN Is FOUND AGAn


registrar general for Ireland covering 1907,
which has just been issued. No stronger
indictment of the misgovernment of Ire
land could be drawn than is contained in
some OF the figures in this report.
For instance, although the birth rate in
Ireland is nearly the highest In the world.
there has been an actual decrease In the
population. There was a natural increase
OF 2OOO0 in the population last year--that
is, a surplus Of births over deaths-but
390s2 young men and women cmgratcd
and converted the increase into a decrease
of 1864 There was actual increase in
the emigration figures last year. the num-
ber being 35 344 In 1905, and the average
number for the last ten years being 81, ,361
What this means to the country may, per-
haps, be realized better when It is stated
that each emigrant represented an esti-
mated capital loss to the country Of $500
According to this estimate, therefore. Ire
land lost $50. 600 last year by emigration.
Some of the false economists are point
ing to the fact that while the population
of the country has decreased. its flocks
and herds have increased, and they argue
from this that it's wealth is increasing
John Mitchell remarked that "bullocks do
not wear breeches." and every emgrant
lost to the country represents a loss Of
purchasing power. Even II the emgrant
had been I'm the workhouse. $i5 a year
would have been spent on his food and
clothing, and at this very moderate esti-
mate. Ireland has lost trade worth 81. $4,000
by last years emigration.
Age of the Bride.
There is also an element of comedy In
the registrar generals report He de-
clares that it is almost impossible In Ire
land to compile any accurate figures of the
age at which people marry, because Irish
brides and bridegrooms are too shy to tell
their exact age. They content themselves
with complying with the legal requirements
TO state whether they are minors or Of
full age. and in 1907 only one-seventh OF
the total number of persons married told
their exact age. 1t has been suggested that
one reason for this is the fact that the
age OF marriage is increasing In Ireland.
and that in many cases the contracting
parties hope to conceal from each other
how old they really are.
where They Live Long.
While on the subject of age II may be
interesting to mention that there is no
country in the world where people live SC
long as in ireland. Out of the total number
of deaths In 1907 there were 100 people who
were 95 years old or more and las who
were 100 years old OF more. 1t is a notable
fact. too, that a large proportion of the
centenarians died irJ the workhouse. and
that many of them had been inmates for
half a century or more. The deduction
from this fact is that the quiet life, regu-
lar hours plain food and freedom from
worry OF the warehouses are conducive tC
longevity.
Hard Times Ahead.
The conditions as to employment are very
bad all over ireland and very hard times
are looked for during the coming winter
The unemployment is more acute in the
industrial towns Of the north than else
where and the authorities of Belfast have
just failed in an attempt to find work fol
considerable number OF Sheir unem
ployed. They organized a great hiring
fair" I'm the ceEter of the city and in
vited all the farmers from the neighbor
ing counties to come to Belfast, promising
them plenty Of cheap labor. The labor
was there, but the farmers were not, a
least in any appreciable numbers. The few
who die come were mobbed by men seeking
work and many OF them whipped up thei
horses and fled in terror from the mob
which became threatening IN its disappoint
ment
Queer Kick of BIEOtry.
An extraordinary order has been issue,
by the National Education Commissioner
Withdrawing from the list OF books tina
may be used by the national schools
Messrs, Brown and Nolans Advanced Ma
tlonal Reader" The book has been IN gen
eral use for several years throughout In
schools OF Ireland and no reason is as
signed for It's withdrawal l have learned
however that some time ago the Impera
Protestant Federation. a body whose chic
a. ralIo
ences which have been happily dying ou
in ireland, complained of the book be
cause II contained extracts from poem
by Mangan and d. r. Mccarthy, and fror
historical works by the archbishop q
Tuam. dealing with the wars Of ONe
and O'Donnell against Queen Elizabeth
The Protestant Federation declared tina
these extracts instllled into the youth q
ireland sentiments OF disloyalty and re
bellion against British rule in Ireland" an
II Induced some of the few "carrion crows
from Ulster TO ask questions about IL I
Parliament Nothing was done at the tim,
however. and the withdrawal OF the boo
has come as an entire surprise when Pal
Mament is not sitting and no effective Pre-
test can be made by the Irish members
Champion Mean Man.
The champion mean man has been al,
covered In Belfast He Is Thomas spene'
a foreman In a shipyard earning a con
Portable income, and a few days ago
was summoned by his wife for assultin
her. His wife stated that he had nevS
allowed her more than 3 cents week fC
her food. He bought his own food an
cooked Il himself. He kept his sugar in
covered bowl and every day he placed
live fly under the cover In order that
might know by the fly's escape IL his vii
lifted the cover during his absence an
helped herself to his sugar He ais
measured his loaf with a rule before lea'
ing home, and on his return every da
70 see n his wife had taken q slice. tt
(cOutinusd on second PaseJ