Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-06

Al SEIA. >. -. CeOrlc,
October 81, 1908.
I have received several letters ask
ing why Ireland is not prosperous. Ire
land is prosperous. The people of that
country arc more prosperous today
than they have been for generations.
They are more prosperous than the
people of England or Scotland-except
in certain sections where poverty is
chronic because of climatic reasons
and the barrenneSs+ of the soil Never
theiess they are not so prosperous ds
they ought to be under the circum-
stances, and it would require Il book,
and large book, to repeat the many
theories that are offered to explain
the situation. 1t is question upon
which very few people agree, and all
of them probably never will agree.
Ihere are almost as many
theories there are people.
Therefore Il discussion is not only dis
agreeable but it would lead Immediate
~ into politics 1t is safe to say, how
ever, that every Irisl1man vino is will
ing to take farm and cultivate it with
Intelligence and industry will prosper
If he will let politics and whisky alone
idlenesS, neglect, intemperance and
other vices produce the same results
in Ireland as elsewhere. and Under pres
make any honest farmer prosperous.
Irish Farm Products in Demand.
There is 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 pasturage
and the breeding of cattle and sheep in
creases The Irish farmer has an I'M
limited market for bacon. hams but
Ter, eggs. poultry. potatoes and other
vegetables. in London, Liverpool. Man
chester Birmingham. Leeds. Glasgow
ana other great manufacturing cities
which are now very largely fed by
Holland and Denmark.
More eggs and poultry. more butter and
bacon are imported into England from
Denmark than from Ireland, notwith-
standing the difference i'm distance and
cost Of transportation. The provision
dealers of the great manufac curing cities
of England always have agents in Ire
land. and the Department of Agriculture
land. and the department Of agriculture
Society are both active and efficient in
securing and cultivating markets for Irish
products. They are advancing large sums
of money to establish cooperative
diaries and to improve the dairy cattle,
swine and poultry of Ireland but many
of the farmers. with the happy go-ucky
characteristic of the Irish race, are in
different to their opportunities, and are
happy and satisfied so long as they have
enough to feed their own mouths.
Irish Exports to England.
The exports of barnyard products from
Ireland to England in 1907 were as fol-
lows:
Butter ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81, sS3 500
!oh'"h. i l.69U61O
Eggs. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1881 $50
dressed pouitry... 1920
The amounts are considerable but they
might have been very much larger The
imports of similar articles from Denmark
We're double 1t costs little or nothing
to produce bacon, eggs and poultry in
Ireland. No extra labor is required on
the farm TO look after the pigs and
chickens. The agricultural department
and the Irish Agricultural Organization
Society. which is a private and semi
philanthropic enterprise 70 promote self
help among the farmers, are trying to
convince them of this fact and are sue
ceeding in considerable. degree. Indus
trial conferences are being held in diff
ferent cities regularly and are awakening
the people from their Indifference The
conferences are largely attended by the
more intelligent and progressive classes
of farmers and addressed by experienced
and competent men.
Not Alive to Their Opportunities.
At meeting held in September, 1908,
at udl"dS tie Earl VI DunFdVen, who
is an energetic and patriotic leader in
the movement for industrial progress,
proposed a resolution which was unani-
mously adopted as follows. That an or
ganized effort be made to develop the ex-
port trade. and that steps be taken to
secure reliable information as to suit
able markets for Irish products outside
of Ireland
In discussing this resolution the Rev
Michael O'Flanagan declared that Irish
men had been begging charity in Ameri-
ca for the last thirty years, and If the
same perseverance and the same energy
had been expended in raising Irish prod
uce and making Irish textiles and other
goods, they would have got a pound from
penny they got through charity. He be-
lieved America would consume from
1000, 900 to S1O0.O 100000 worth of Irish
goods if the people OF Ireland would pro-
duce the goods. He said a similar mar
ket for agricultural products exis.s in
England and could be supplied by irish
farmers if they would show proper energy
and industry. Similar opinions We're ex-
able interest has been excited by these
conferences: that it may be assumed
that the people are awakening to their
opportunities.
Individual Effort Needed.
Sir Horace Plunkett. who has been es-
pecially active In trying to improve the
condition of the farmers Of Ireland says:
1.-The settlement of the land question and
the new system of governmental aid to
agriculture are proceeding rapidly and
doing grea: good, but along neither of
those two lines OF national advancement,
nor along both combined, is agricultural
prosperity to be attained. The result de-
ponds entirely upon voluntary individual
effort and cooperation. The British mar
ket will take all the produce we can send
and the more send of uniform quality
and this can be done by cooperation
the more 1t will pay for our produce 1t
follows that every dairy farmer i'm Ire
land is not only interested in seeing that
every other farmer in his district for
wards the best butter he can produce
the same. The ownership of the land
by the occupier. which has been brought
about by legislation, will not of itself
give the Irish farmer the prosperity he
hopes for. Ii is not only the farms but
the habits OF the people upon tile land
which need improvement. Capable under
certain influences of surprising industry.
they lack the qualities which secure the
fruits of industry, because their educa-
ton and economic circumstances nave
not developed the Industrial habit.
'They are surely clever in their re-
sourcefuIness and shrewd in Their bar
gainngs. but, as a rule, In the manage
ment of their farms and commercial deal
elementary principles of either technical
or business knowledge In spite of a pas
sionate devotion to their country, they
emigrate to America whenever they can