The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-24
POOR IRELAND"
+. HAS SOME VIRTUES
Prosperity Is Reflected in
Banking Statistics
THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Irish VIII BE Compulsory In National
University After 1013-Boy Gets
$40 Damages for Loss of
Glass Eye
THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
BY THOMAS EMMETT

Dublin, July Especial 1T Is the
habit to think of ireland as poor Ire
land" and perhaps not without rea-
son. Occasionally, however, there are
indications that despite all her hard
ships, misgovernment and bad laws
Erins case is not altogether hopeless
For instance, some measure of pros
perity Is reflected in the banking sta
tistics for the second half of 1903,
which have lately been published. At
the end of December the deposits and
cash balances in the joint stock banks
stood at $4,000 as compared with
$260,340.O00 at the corresponding date
In the previous year. On December
81 the total amount in the pos.office
and trustee savings banks was $69,4f0,-
900, At the end of 1908 it was $66,370,-
900. In 1909. therefore, deposits in
creased.
with the exception of 1907 there has
been an increase in each year since
1889 and the balance in the savings
banks is now more than two and q
half times the figures at which it stood
at the close of the latter year. In the
two decades the number of postffice
depositors has almost trebled, the
latest available total being 546,5 $50. In
December the aggregate amount held
In government funds, India stocks. land
stock and kindred securities was s194.-
100000.
Mother Joseph (Butler), and Sister
Cecilia, of the Presentation order.
South Dakota, U. g. A., whose visit
mentioned some weeks ago, took with
them 20 young Irish girls to join tho
presentation order. Mother Joseph and
her companion have been in Ireland
since May /. The young girls who now
accompany them are principally from
Cork and Limerick counties. The Pre-.
sentation order, as was first estas-
lished by Nano Maggie in Cork. They
were the pioneers in South Dakota,
where some members of the commune
ity from Dublin established the order
30 years ago.
1t is stated that the decision of the
senate of the National University of
Ireland to make the Irish language
compulsory for matriculation in and
after the year 1918 was taken by O
majority of 81 votes to IL. The Gaelic
league Is jubilant over the victory.
which Is mainly due to the pressuA
which the league was able to exercise
through the nationalist county councils.
II the new rule Is strictly enforced
hundreds of students will assuredly be
diverted to Dublin university or to Bel
fast
Speaking at a meeting of the Gaelic
league, DR.. Douglas Hyde, president of
the league, and senator of the Ma
.tional University of Ireland, congrat-
ulated the country on the adoption of
compulsory Irish In the university The
senate of the university had given its
decision willingly, ungrudgingly and by
a large Majority and the university had
become national not in name only, but
in reality. t
> 1t is reported that the potato blight
has appeared.n the west of ireland and
that 1t Is to be seen in some potato
fields in the Bar0ny of Erris. County
Mayo. 1t is sta1ed, however, that the
outbreak Is not SO general in the dis
trict as in former years.
A curious case was heard at Ennis
killen quarter sessions in which Joseph
Gallagher, aged II. sued Robert Lyons,
draper. for damages for assault and for
detention of a glass eye. 1t was re-
lated in evidence that Gallagher was
employed by the defendant as an err
rand boy. He had lost an eye and
he saved money from his wages---3s a
week-to buy glass one. The lad
paid Off this debt out of his wages
till he owed only 9s. Then he got an
offer of a post in a London hotel at
Bs week and his keep" He aske
the defendant for reference, but the
later. 1t was stated, refused owing to
the remaining debt The plaintiff left,
but one day the defendant met him,
dragged him into the shop, and de-
handed the glass eve there and then.
So threatening was his behavior that
the lad took out the eye and gave It
as security for the 9s owing. On nc-
count of the loss of the eye the boy
lost the situation offered In London.
The Judge gave Judgment for $40 dam