Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-15

copyright. 1913. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
TF the promoters Of the back to
Ireland movement ever pictured
to themselves the overcrowding
OF the steamships by young Irish
men and women eager to return ana
establish a permanent home in the land |
of their birth they are surely doomed |
to disappointment. II they thought. !
however. they were creating sentiment
for the home going Of old folks bent on
spending rhei" last days on the old !
soil" they are likely TO see their |
thoughts fdIalled-that is. il only few
Of the hundreds OF Irishmen who are
today declaring that they will make
their home in Ireland before they die
carry out their determination.
But the trouble with the average Irish
man. who seems bent at first on spend
ing his old days in his native country,
is that when he looks around and hg-
urpS out that there are more of his old
friends right i'll his own neighbOrhood
or in his own city than he could pos
sibiy find i'll the old country he has
change of mind and decides to remain
ut home.
Those who have watched the effects
OF the back to Ireland" movement de-
. clare thar it is more apt to take firm
root III an old bachelor than in any
one else In fact. one authority de
clareS that there are more elderly un-
married men returning to Ireland to
spend their declining years than any
other class.
The average Irishman is willing, and
with good reason. TO concede that Ire
land IS a far better country to live In
nowadays than l. ever was before. He
IL also willing TO admit that II is daily
becoming more and more prosperous
Optimistic followers Of st. Patrick de
clare that the day is not far off when
emigration from the "Ould sod" will
he confined entirely to prosperous Irish
travellers on pleasure bent But this
same average freshman Will tell you
that until emigration from Ireland does
stop entirely there will be no great
rush upon the part Of prosperous Irish
men in this country 10 go back and
with the scores Of new industries
which are starting IN Erin.
, 1t is n fact that there are scores of
rich IriShmcn in America who have
their agents on the watch continually
in ireland for good land values. AS a
! result many famous castles and estates
are falling into the hands Of Irish
Americans
, only recently an freshman who owns
three restaurants ia New York city re
ceived word from his father that be
was to I've elected from his home be
o cause he could rot pay the rent. TT
to this time the New York IrishmaT
did not know that his fathers finances
had become 50 p0pr
The son sent Il gOOdly sum Of money
to the father. and few months late
the father found the son his landlord
- For no s0nnC" aid the son hear Of the
=, attempt to eject his father. from hi.
home than he made immediate prep
arations for trip abroad And no
only did the son buy the home from
which they had threatened to evict hi
father. but he bought the whole tow
outright as well rs the old castle ad
joining L. The son now intends (,
take up his home in the castle durin;
III" summer months and eventually I,
j make his home there permanently.
Since his purchase Of the town b.
: has discovered vast water power posi-
bilit.es which in time are likely I,
build another fortune for him. for h
now proposes TO estab lish industries il
" his town and TO operate them with tn
. power which he is 10 have generated.
True. the movement to revive tn
Gaelic language has done much 10 en-
y courage the back 10 Ireland" move
ment. but possibly no one does a.
much real good IS the young Irishmal
who. having prOspered on native soil
comes for a visit to his Irish American
u cousin.
Only recently a young Organist from
Belfast came TO America on visit
His clothes were cut in the latest Eng
l. fish fashion. His friends believed tho
J. they were going TO meet a poor, strug
Cling musician who had saved a few
shillings a week out Of his two pOunt
=" salary. Instead they met a young mai
dressed in the height Of English fash
ion and with ar income. between hi
x work as orgsnist and teacher OF mt
sic. ~ nearly SiGO week
p Another instance is related Of
young man from Ireland on n visit I
. New York city. HIS American cousl
n took him 70 vaudeville performs nc,
The young Irishman did not enthus
n very much. and the American did nc
Re understand until he found that mos
OF the ac:s on the bill had played tn
ID Irish circnit
IA Still another Irish cousin promise
/. TO take his American relatives FOR .
: automobile ride from one end OF Ir.
y land u another
4 For" he explained. we have So
Id tenn Of good roads ir ireland whic
cannot he beat IN he whole world"
: AHc persons v-', l'Tve he.U in IN
land recently declare that he Is right,
or But despite th=ee favorable tEiE9s
- is 3 safe co1a.Isicu mat ireland 81!
be hare 70 recruit ifS workers. from =
er grov.Ey Re.@gac.,n ~. -h"s- - r.
Tr4e--r.: VII. .sr sttl' ff.,a..- %. y.-r,. 90