New Ulm review., 1910-04-13

GREAT MIGRATION LOOKED FOR
Promoters Of the Idea Have Formed
Home Going Association to Preach
Pilgrimage For the Coming Summer.
What They Hope to Do For the Good
Of Old Erin.
81 believe, Francis J. Kilkenny,
originator of the idea of a pilgrimage
# Irish Americans to their native
land and president Of the Irish Home
Going association, said the other day,
that the number of visitors to the old
sod the coming summer will be such
as to surprise two nations. I am in
a position to keep my finger pretty
well Oh the pulse Of the public which
would make such pilgrimage, and
am assured that the migration is to
be bigger thing than even the most
sanguine have believed
s'You see, the Irish have prospered
greatly in America. They have the
money with which to travel, and they
all have in their breasts the desire to
see their old homes and their relatives
again. They have needed little impetus
to start them galloping homeward.
The organization Of the Home Going
q 3ot hoS oiv tho
sion, and they are off.
A Permanent Aid to Ireland.
eyes, I believe the pilgrimage will
mean more to both the visitors and to
Ireland than merely a pleasant vaca-
tion and renewal of old ties. The
idea Of the association is to do a per-
manent good to the native land. Ire
land is greatly in need of capitaliza-
tion and the injection Of certain ele-
ments of industrial activity There is
a world Of resource in the island, but
the people have always been without
money to develop it. There is vast
quantity Of most effective and intelli-
gent labor to be had very cheap, but
there are few factories or other forms
OF industry to employ 1t.
''My idea has been from the first to
induce prosperous Irish Americans to
go back, look over the field and, where
opportunity offers, to invest certain
amounts of capital There is a great
opportunity for such investments to
be made to yield good returns. If a
sufficient number Of them are made
it will mean prosperity to all Ireland.
nifty to earn wages, to save up some
little money, to improve their homes,
to purchase the necessary tools with
which to work their farms to advan-
tage It will mean the opening up Of
a new life to them.
Means Money to the Island.
"The purpose of the Home Going
association is to encourage Irish Amer
leans to go back with just this idea
in mind Of course the mere pres
ence Of many tourists in the island
would bring a great deal Of money
there to be spent. But the chance Of
establishing American industry there
is vastly more important. 1t may
seem visionary to some, but main
tain that there is a possibility of the
coming migration bringing to Ireland
such prosperity as it has never known
before. There is possibility Of it's
marking a turning point in it's history
among the most important it has ever
known
'tMeet me in the Emerald Isle" is
the catch word sent over the nation
by the Irish Home Going association,
and it is promised that the echo will
watt back from across the water.
The movement is set to begin May
/ and to last until Oct 81, and, ac-
cording to pamphlets sent out, the
idea is receiving general approval
over the United States.
One of the advantages to be derived
from the organized exodus, it is point
ed out, is a reduction in the cost of
the journey, in which it is said great
aid has been extended by private peo-
pie and firms in Ireland.
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