Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08

the eSta DllShment OF an almost universal
system of peasant proprietorship more
general and complete than exists in any
other country on the globe. When this
work is completed the ownership of Ire
land will be in the hands of the common
people
Who Furnishes the Money.
WHO furnishes the money and where
does it go?'
THE money is advanced from the i'm
perial treasury and is procured by the
issue of bonds payable at maturity from
a sinking fund that is being accumulated
by annual contributions from each far
mer during a period of ssxty-elght years
or less, at his option. That Is, the men
who own the property Will pay Tor II In
small installments reimbursing the treas
ury in lieu Of paying rent. These pay
ments are secured by the land. Inc
money goes into the hands OF the iahd
lords and I am afraid that very niue OF
1t remains in Ireland. Most OF them I'VE
bonds and other securities There are
plenty of opportunities for Investment in
Ireland: there is plenty of capital lying
unused in our banks. AS a matter OF
fact all the large Irish banks nave
branches in London in order to use their
deposits in that money market. This
ca nital Is withheld from investment here
because of the uncertainty of our poltica!
future Capital is always distrustfui or
agitations The problem here is mainly
poIitical. The economic evils from which
Ireland is suffering have Their origin
and their roots in political. conditions
However. the situation Is exceedingly
promising and the Irish party is perfectly
certain to win If we can only keep TO-
eether. We have already converted Eng
land The house of lords is the only OBJ
stacle in our way and we hope to over
come that at the next election. Since 1871
we have had complete harmony IN the
party under John Redmond as our leader.
What is the industrial condition OF re
land"
TT is not entirely satisfactory. but the
people are generally prosperous Belfast
is very prosperous and the manuI actufhs
industries are slowly expanding. but not
as rapidly as they should. owing TO po-
litical uncertainties. When we get home
rule the obstacles will be removed and
not until then. The south and west of the
island are still devoted almost exclusive
ly to agriculture and there is no encour-
aeement for the establishment of manu-
features for local reasons.
THE aggregate income Of the people OF
ireland is roughly estimated at $10.otU.OOO.
mainly from agriculture, manufactures.
cattle breeding. hor: es, dairy products,
swim sheep and grain. OF this $10,O0O,O0J
goes to the British government. have
seen estimates that place the drink bill
at S12,OCO, 900 and SIS. O00.GoO. The amount
contributed to religion cannot be esti-
mated. but 1t Is very large and goes to
sunnort the priests, to build and main
tain churches and to sustain the colleges,
mona steries converts, hospitals, aSylums
and many charitable and educational In
stitutions. There is no way to estimate
the amount, but the Irish are very be-
nevolent and generous people,
Income Of Ireland Improving.
THE income of Ireland is improving
slightly, which Is due to the operations
of the land act, the introduction OF new
methods of farming and the cultivation on
the natural intelligence Of the common
people. The instruction of the asricul-
tural department is beginning to tell: At
first 1t was not very pract!caL !ney
flooded us with scientific lectures, men
who had no idea of our conditions OF
wants and fred way over the heads of
the people they were addressing. During
the last two years more practical ana
competent men have been secured ana as
a general thing their work mas neeh We
effective The farmers are eager to learn
but are suspicious of new methods and
slow to adopt innovation. The schoois are
improving all the time. and the next gen
Grafton will be much more competent "
apply it's labor profitabiy than the pres
ent. Indeed, everything in Ireland Is ad-
vancing slowly. Old customs and super
stitions are gradually disappearing, much
IN INV regret. SO far as some of them are
concerned. Education is doing IT, Inc
bishops and priests are using their lnhu-
ence to promote temperance and are
teaching thrift and economy to the peo-
Pile They are stopping the use OF liquor
at wakes. which was great evil.
influence of Priests in Politics.
rs the influence of the priests in poll
tics increasing or diminishing?"
That depends entirely upon the person
atty of the man. There has been a great
deal of Misrepresentation and misappre-
hensfon concerning the priests in Irish
politics Some of them take very active
part. Many of them have nothing to do
with political affairs at all. 1t Is mat
ter of their own volition. 1t depends upon
their taste and inclinations. Some of our
priests are very able politicians and exer-
else a tremendous influence. Others have
no political sense at all and no inclination
that way. They prefer not to mix up in
confine themselves entirely to their spirit
ual duties But l may say that the type
OF priest that you read about in novels of
Irish life is not very common. He exists
mostly in fiction And there has been con-
siderable change in the Intellectual stand
ard of the priesthood. The standard of
at the colleges and semnaries
has been advanced. AS the people are
educated they require more of their priests
and the priests have less influence over
them. AS rule our priests are total alb
stailGers. There has been a very active
reform among the clergy of
all denominations. and the movement 10
largely due to the inauence Of Maynooth