Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16
GREAT SUGGESTION
Let Irishmen All Go Back to
the Old Home Again.
JULY, 1910, THE TIME
Erin's Sons and Daughters Called
From Their Wandering.
PROUD RECORD OF THE RACE
Children Of the Kings of Ireland
Rank High in the Nobility
Of America.

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and tn
Chicago Record Herald.
KILLARNEY. August Z, 1908.
Mr. Moore of Erie. Pa. who has been
travelling about this country for several
weeks, makes q suggestion which seems
to me worth adopting, and I have pro-
posed it to several organizations for pro-
noting the welfare of Ireland, but with
out exciting much enthusiasm.
Back to the Old Home.
Mr.. Moore's plan Is to apply to ireland
the principal of 1.-The Old Home Week
that has been SO popular and successful
in New Hampshire and other parts OF
New England. only he proposes to make
it a month here, and have special days
set apart for reunions in the. different
counties, at which as many natives OF
those counties and their children as pos
sible may come over from the united
States to visit their old homes and birth
places. They can then renew their ac-
quaintance with their former neighbors
and the playmates Of their childhood.
revive their interest in Irish affairs. and
stimulate their patriotism and love Of
'The Ould Sod that is a marked charac-
teristic of the race.
There seems to be an apprehension, that
Of 1t and very little Is done here without
such motives. Politics and whisky are
the curses of Ireland. However. the plan
is worth consideration and somebody may
yet have sense enough TO take II up ana
carry it through.
It would be easy to make arrangements
with the different steamship lines to give
low rates, not only those which toucn
regularly at Queenstown. but also the
Holland, Antwerp. Italian. Scandinavian
o<l,n trnc tlyhiC not
stop at Irish ports. The tide Of immi-
grafton is westward and there are COM
paratively few Storage and second-cIass
passengers coming east on the Cunaru
and White Star steamers that eoucn =, o.
make a low rate for the round
trip, which would give an opportunity
for thousands of Irish born citizens OF
| the United States to spend SNORT Vaca,
| ton across the sea, visiting thelr 0lo
fact that everybody Is doing the same
would be a great incentive and for rev
weeks Ireland would be crowded with her
| former sons and daughters
Good Results Predicted.
A very important result of such WIS.,
itation would be to leave here large sums
which would quicken business. increase
the demand for labor, create market
for eeyrything that is made or grown and
food Ireland with money. Each visitor
| would contribute his share, although II
might be a little, but the total OF the ex-
| penditures of such pilgrims would De
/ enormous and create a condition or pros
perity greater than Ireland has ever seen.
was told last summer that $5.OOAoOU
has been expended In New Hampshire py
visitors from other states since the olo
home week celebrations and the adver.
ltisement Of abandoned farms was hrst
undertaken II that amount or money
should be spent in Ireland 1t would De
| of everlasting benefit to the people II
| 10000 visitors came from the Unlteo
| States and spent only 800 each. which
| IL a very low average. 1t would leave
81. 900 900 in circulation here
| It might be natural also, as mas &C.
CURED in New Hampshire tnat many
natives who went to the states IN their
childhood and have become wealthy and
are now approaching the period OF their
rest and leisure, would purchase MONIES
| in Ireland and spend their declining years
amid the scenes Of their youth. ~ Mr..
| Croker and three or four other persons
| have met since ] have been here are DO
| hotel now who Is looking for country
place. He expects to invest q hundred
| thousand dollars in an Irish home some
where near Dublin. Then think of the
contributions that would be made In eld
Of the churches, the benevolent tnstitu-
lions and other charities. as we'll as ia
insure the comfort and happiness Of in
| interested: One can think Of other ways
In which ireland might be benefited by
such celebrations, and those who partic-
| ipate In them will certainly have q deer
sense Of qualification for their share.
Perhaps tina most important result Of Z