The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-05
Titanic Disaster Pointed to S
Argument Against Rapid
E Emigration
GREAT EXODUS IS
ACUTE AFtLICTION
Thirty Thousand Sturdy
Young Natives Turned
Their Backs On Native
Land Last Year
by A1sTIN +. MAGURE.

League nnua new, II SAD nj utuSHt
against the continued desertion of
their country by the young men and
women OF Ireland. When tae great
ship plunged under the waves,
large proportion of the thtrd-class
passengers who were lost we're
sturdy young men and women, most
ly OF the farming class who joined
the Titanic at Queenstown.
Though there Is evidence OF
downward tendency in emigration
statistics. still the fact remains that
ses erai years must pass before irish
emigration will be reduced to pro-
portions that Will be more IN accord
with the normal. or natural, overflow
OF the population OF any we'll regu-
lated nation.
Emigration has been one of Ire
land most acute Affections FOR more
than sixty years, The great exodus
Of the people from their native land
came first In the fearful years Of
iS47-S, when "a landlord made fam
inc de cimated the land. while plenty
reigned within her borders.
That people did suffer famine
while the landlords, backed py brit
sh bayonets. seized and sent out OF
the country to be sol din English
markets. so that the landlords might
haN 9 their rents, enough cattle. eggs.
butter. poultry and farn produce
to support every man, woman and
child, who died for Want of food, is
known nov and cannot be denied by
all the statisticians the landlord
gang has ever hired,
How Ireland has suffered since
then from emigration may be judged
from the foiIoving returns for 1911,
just issued from tho office of the
I egistrar-General:
/ From 1891 to 1911 the number
OF people who left Irish ports as emf
grants was ABS, olG.
According TO the census figures the
population OF ireland last year VAS
I 1881 ,55f In Fa0T, by the Frecs71-
ing decennial census the population
vas 1 .45S. 5, loss in the ten years
Of 1884.
The figures are, OF course. deplor-
able Bat those who are wotEinc
with might and main TO alter or de-
crease them are met by the lure of
America. which. to thousands Of the
young people Of the rural population.
is simply irresistible.
Last year, 50,573 young natives
of ireland turned their backs upon
their own country and their hopeful,
optimistic faces towards the great re
public, Most of these Will never set
foot on Irish soil again, for which
the pity is great: Ireland needs
them all 10 help her with the work
in the coming days of her regenora-
ton.
I The census commissioners say tat
although the shrinkage of the pei3H-
! lation, which has been continuous
since 1SiS, has not yet ceased. the
percentage of loss of population for
! the last decade is the smallest yet
recorded. This, at least. is Il crumb
/ of comfort. But the turn in the
/ lane is yet long way off
/ OF the 30,573 who went away las,
year. u per cent. declared on leaving
f1hat thetr Hcint Of destination WIS
the United States of America The
remaining rs per cent. went to Can
ada and Australia. with small
/ sprinkling to the Colonies of South
/ Africa. But the most of them were
/ lost to Ireland, wherever they went.
| What this loss really means will
be appreciated by the fact that of
those who emigrated in 1911, S5.7
per cent. were between the ages Of
fifteen and thiftytive.
The pre&incs- ul tlsfsrs svhiah ia SO
frequently held up as the one pros
porous section OF ireland, furnished
12,032 of last years emigrants.
Most of these went TO Canada.
Expressing It's regret at the con-
tinued outflow OF the young and
energetic OF the population. the Free
mans Journal says that monthly re-
turns, SO far this year, do not war
rant hopes of a favorable variation
of the figures of last year.
The months of May June and
July comprise the emigration sea-
son." says the Freeman, and those
three months will supply the vital
figures. The Great Republic in
which millions of our race have set
tied and made thsir homes, will con-
tinue to call to thousands every year.
But the peace and security which the
homeland affords now are finding in
creased recognition among the peo-
pie and there is hope for the future.
Residents OF America who are
natives OF the West of Ireland will
learn with interest of the appoint
ment of the Right Rev. Canon Hig-
gins, the reyered parish priest OF
Castelar,. to be auxiliary bishop to
Rev. DR.. Healy. Archbishop of Tnam.
Rev. DR.. Higgins is native OF
Castelar,. His early SIT dies were
made at St Jariath's College, from
which he went to Maynooth. where
he finished distinguished course.
He returned to ST. Jariath's ana
became its president. advancing the
status OF the college greatly during
his administration In 1910 he was
appointed parish priest of GUNNER IN
succession to the Rev, William Me-
Hugh. Rev. Cannon Curran. form
erly parish priest at Abbey. Is now
in charge of the GUNNER parish 10
succeed Bishop Higgins, wha, on his