Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-25
BACK To IRELAND
Residents Of the Emerald Isle
in This Country Will Re-
turn Home.
BIG MIGRATION EXPECTED
Promoters of Idea Have Formed an
Association to Preach Benefits
of Pilgrimage.

II believe" Francis J. Kilkenny,
originator of the idea Of q pilgrimage
OF 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 viii be such
as TO surprise two nations. am In
a position to keep my finger pretty
well on the pulse OF the public which
would make such pilgrimage and 1
am assured that the migration Is to
be bigger thing than even the most
sangu1ne have believed.
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 galoping homeward.
The organization of the Home Going
association has given them, the occa-
sion, and they are of.
A Permanent Aid to Ireland.
eyes, believe the pilgrimage viii
mean more to both the visitors and to
Ireland than merely a pleasant vaca-
ton and a renewal Of old ties. Tho
idea Of the association is to do q per-
manent good to the native land Ire
land is greatly in need OF capitaliza-
ton 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 1t. There Is a 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. II
sufficient number of them are made
it will mean prosperity to all Ireland.
The people will be given an opportu-
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. 1t 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
American industry there
is vastly more important. It may
seem visionary to some, but main
tain that there Is a possibility Of the
coming migration bringing to Ireland
such prosperity A 1E has never known
before There u a possibility of it's
marking a turns4k point in its history
the mose Important it has ever
known"
meet 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
1 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.