The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-05
By JOHN D. CRIMMINS,

Ry Leased Wire 10 The Tribune.
NEW YORK. Dec. 4.-Thc recent Wis
il of Mr. r. p. O'Connor, NJ. F., TO
America in behalf Of ireland and the
great battle which has been wagcd over
The English budget in parliament with
Ireland s fate practically resultant, has
tended to increase the great interest
which has always prevailed III recent
years over the present and future OF
the island which has supplied America
and other nations with so many sturdy
and eminent citizens. ! was prepared
try to find greatly different conditions
from those which prevailed upon my
visit in 1872, but | was surprised. de-
spite myself. ] found not the old Erin,
with its slipshod tenants, Struggling VII
lagos, poverty, want and suffering, but
new country. The ''auld sod has be-
come a new sod and Is blooming like
the rose. Indeed, that is the message
which l bring to America from Erin S
Isle.
Before ! construct a picture of the
new conditions, | wish To comment upon
tho prominence which the country has
acquired in recent years Not so long
ago the beauties of Irish scenery were
overshadowed by the delights of the
Swiss and German, Italian and French
landscapes, but tho land Of st. Pat
cign travellers. Ireland has become a
regular stopping place in the itineraries
of travellers Not alone Americans, but
English and French and German tour
lists Journey through the island, looking
upon the delightfully."- picturesque towns
and the grandeur of the rugged seen
cry. ] never enjoyed trip more than
my last across the island.
Amazed at Transformation.
One visiting Ireland lately is amazed
at the transformation. OF course, your
ordinary tourist looks for comfort as
we'll as beauty, and | must say that
| was not disappointed in the hotels,
! the people or the weather. | started
in my motor car at Rossclare, in WeX-
ford where / landed from England.
| Thence the journey was made through
parts of Waterford, Kerry, Limerick,
| Tpperary, Kings and Queens county,
Dublin, Wicklow, Loutb, Armagh,
West Meath, Roscommon and Galway,
some days travelling 135 miles, eating
by the way, and questioning all who
would talk, [ found prosperous peo-
pie. with practically new life from
that appearing tbirty-scven years ago.
My first Irish trip was made in 1872,
as / said before, when ] found the
most dcplorable conditions. At that
time eviction of tenants, unroofing of
dwellings, and squalor, seen on every
! hand, left an impression of dire poverty
and dcsolation. During my second visit
In 1901 | noted marked change, but
upon my latest trip [ saw, with amaze
ment even greater changes. Three hun
dred and one thousand farmers, under
the acts on the statute books of Eng
! land, arc in possession of the land
under a most liberal arrangement. The
| government advances the tenant the
money necessary for the purchase of the
land on basis of 3la per cent One
| half of l per cent in eXcess of cost
is accumulated practically as n sink,
ing fund for the tenant. who, if he
or his estate pays the rental for sixty
eight years, the land is his free and
clear with an undisputcd title, In
every case the land values are de.
termined on the fairest basis for the
tenant that wns. Nine hundred mil.
lions of dollars in our money have been
provided so far by the English govern.
ment, with other sums, such az for lands
not settled for and laborers' cottages
IT is estimated that the sum will reach
$1,000, 100000 in two years.
"The old age pension act" was not
made for Ireland, but statistics prove
that Ireland is the biggest beneficiary.
pass to the ]aborers' act of 1883. bv
which $l0,000,000 has gone into decent
cottages for the Irish
Is Agricultural Country.
Ireland is known as an agricultural
country and always will be. Except in
II few cities in the north there will
never be any manufactures Of conse-
duence. The Irish people must live on
and of the land We hear OF an in
vasion of American money to estab-
lish manufacturing. / say to the Irish
people, do not be deluded by any such
hope. In tho first place the Irish are
not mechanical people. They have no
mercantile traditions. 1t takes genera
tons and generations to educate peo-
pie in skilled manufactures. However,
7 will say the technical schools are do
ing good work. The Irish by heritage
are farmers, They cannot compete
with the Britons. the Germans and the
French. The country has no mines or
minerals of value. The trade indus
tries are few and benefit only the
country. The development of the land
In IFS highest standard will hp tbe 6rS, y,