The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-07-27
Devlin Says Boosted Prosperity of
Northern Province is More Ap-
parent than Real.
Cites Figures to Show That Pop.
ulation has been Decimated
by Emigration.
Repeats Challenge to Unionists to
Cite Single Case of Catholic
Intolerance.

One of the largest and most repre-.
sentative Nationalist demonstrations
ever held In Ulster took place at
Clones ON June %. AT the meeting
We're large delegations from many of
the surrounding counties. The Hi
hemians dressed in full regalia fig
ufed prominently III the proceedings.
The place of meeting being in u field
a little distance from the town tho
people formed Il line which extended
Tor three miles and marched to tho
field. The day was fine and the spec
tacle was brilliant and imposing. Mr..
Joseph Devlin was the principal
speaker. In an able address on the
real status of Ulster Mr.. Devlin said
In part:
Emigration from Ulster.
Now, want to trouble you with a
very few facts as to what the Union
has done for Ulster. by way of an
swer to those who allege that the Act
'''iSh i'''etl iiSldlu VI uGT ancient
Parliament and dethroned her from
her place amongst the nations has
been an unmixcd blessing to this
northern province. The greatest
wealth OF a nation or province Is
the number and quality of her citl-
zcns. 1t is the people who make tina
IL
the people of Ulster? In 1S41, the
total population Of Ulster was 1885,
600. In 1911. it had fallen to 1,57S,O0O
representing Il decrease In seventy
years OF over 100000 people. Ii that
solitary fact were the only indictment
OF the failure of the Union in Ulster,
cicnt to condemn 1t. There is no
parallel for such a wholesale decima-
tion of the population Of a civilized
country In modern times. In the sixty
years from 1858 to 1910 the total
number of emigrants from Ulster was
10000 - that is to say, larger
uIntion of New Zealand today-New
Zealand which, under Home Rule, is
one OF the most progressive and pros
porous of all the Dominions under the
British Crown. And the most re-
hnrkable fact in connection with this
emigration is that it has been great
from fhn r. A,,fx
Down, which are held up to the rest
OF Ireland as models of prosperity
and contcntment. This loss Of the
llfc-blood of the province through
emigration is still going on, and the
emigration Is still greatest from An
trim and Down. If the lot Of the peo-
pie who remain were improved the
evil would be palliated somewhat.
But it has not been so in the past,
and. despite the working of the Land
Acts and all the other ameliorative
measures which have been carried by
the Irish Party, the amount of pow
erty and suffering still endured by tho
bulk Of the people in Ulster is ap-
palling, and especially in the city Of
Belfast, which is the one exception to
the general tale of ruin which the
Union brought on Ulster. In the year
1901, in the province Of Ulster, there
were no less than 1876 inhabited
houses Of the fourth class, that is to
say, mud cabins or houses built of
other perishable material, and having
only one room and window. The to-
tai number of one-room tenements in
Ulster in 1901 was 1889. In No less
than 1,141 cases, seven or more per-
sons were living in one room. You
hear occasionally about the poverty
of the East End of London, and
about the over-crowding in the slums
OF the great English cities, but it may
be questioned whether the figures for
Whitechapel or Walworth are moro
appalling than these figures for PROS
porous Ulster.
Prosperity Not Real.
I might multiply figures to show
that the boasted prosperity of Bel
fast and Ulster Is more apparent than
real. and that in Belfast, at any rate,
portion Of it has Its basis in the,
sweating Of women and children, and
In conditions which are not q credit