Semi-weekly herald., 1908-12-24
TIMES IN ERIN BETTER
THAN IN MANY YEARS
By William E. Curtis. Correspondent
of the Chicago Record-Herald.

AT sea- have received seyera
letters asking why ireland is not pros
porous. Ireland is prosperous. The
people of that country are more pros
porous today than they have been fol
generations. They are more prosper
Gus than the people of England OF
Scotland. except in certain sections
where poverty is chronic because OF
climatic reasons and the barrenness
OF the soil. Nevertheless, they are no,
so prosperous as they ought to be
under the circumstances, and 1t would
require book, and a large book, to
repeat the many theories that are of.
fered TO explain the situation. 1t is a
question upon which very few people
agree. There are almost as many the
ories as there are people. Therefore
a discussion is not only disagreeable
but 1t would lead Immediately into
politics. 1t is safe to say, however,
that every lrishman who is willing to
take farm and cultivate II with in
telligence and industry will prosper
If he will let politics and whisky
i
and other vices produce the same re-
suits in Ireland as elsewhere, and un.
der present conditions industry and
thrift will make any honest farmer
| prosperous
| 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
Increases. The Irish farmer has an
unlimited market for bacon, hams, but
ter, eggs, poultry, potatoes and other
vegetables in London, Liverpool, Man
chester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow
and other great manufa curing 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
transportation. The provision dealers
of the great manufacturing cities of
England always have agents in Ire
land, and the department of agricul-
ture and the Irish Agricultural Organi-
zation society are both active and eff.
cient in securing and cultivating mar
kets for Irish products. They are
advancing large sums of money to es-
tablish cooperative dairies and to i'm
prove the dairy cattle, the swine and
poultry of Ireland, but many of the
farmers are Indifferent to their op-
portunities and with the happy-go-
lucky characteristic of the Irish race
are happy and satisfied so long as they
have enough to feed their own mouths.
The exports of barnyard products
from ireland to England in 1907 were
as follows
Butter ......... ......$17. .933,50
Bacon 1l,69O,6lO
Dressed poultry ....... 1926, 900
These amounts are considerable,
but they might have been very much
larger. The imports of similar articles
from Denmark were double. 1t costs
little or nothing to produce bacon, eggs
and poultry in Ireland. No extra 10
Dor 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-philan-
thropic enterprise to promote self-help
among the farmers, are trying to con-
vince them of this fact, and are sue
ceeding in considerable degree. In.
dustrial conferences are being held in
| different cities regularly, and are
awakening the people from their in
difference. They are largely attended
by the more Intelligent and progress
sive classes Of farmers and are ad-
dressed by experienced and competent
men.
| At meeting held in September
1908. at Galway. the earl OF Dunraven
who is an energetic and patriotic lead
er in the movement for Industrial prog
resa, proposed a resolution. which was
unanimously adopted. that an organ.
lied 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 out.
side of Ireland"
In discussing this resolution Rev
Michael O'Flanagan declared that
Irishmen had been begging charity
in America for the last thirty years
and II the same perseverance and the
same energy had been expended II
raising Irish produce and making bisf
textiles and other goods. they would
have got pound from Americi
through business for every ha-penn!
they got through charity. He believe,
that America would consume from
$75,0O0,000 to s1OO.00O,0O0 worth o
Irish goods II the people OF Irelali
: would produce the goods. He salt
i that q similar market for agriculture
I products exists In England. and coul
d be supplied by Irish farmers II the
would show proper energy and indus
try. Similar opinions were exprcsse
II by other speakers. and considerabl
8 interest has been excited by thes
d conferences; 30 that 1t may be III
r sumed that the people are awakov
Ing to their opportunities.