The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-23

plain that the relaxation in the rules
was only temporary and would be re-
scinded as soon as the home supply came
anywhere near meeting the demand.
This announcement has renewed the
cattle trade crisis in even more acute
form than before. The vexatious regula-
tions requiring Irish cattle to be quaran-
tined at English ports are still being
strictly enforced and there is little pros
pect of their being abolished. The Eng
lish farmers are reaping SO rich a har-
vest from the enhanced meat prices in
England caused by the artificial scarcity.
that they are bringing every possible
pressure to bear on the British govern
ment, and as the liberals are now busy
wooing the AGRICULTURAL vote in England
there is little likelihood of any relief for
Ireland The liberal politicians argue,
shrewdly enough that the Irish vote In
parliament is secured TO them, at leas;
until after the final passage of the home
rule bill, and they are willing to take
chances on what will happen after that
Many changes may occur in the political
situation in two years and at any rate the
Irish vote in the imperial parliament will
be reduced to less than half what it Is
at present after the establishment oi
Irelands own parliament in Dublin.
Irish cattle breeders are now turning
their attention to the development of the
meat trade and meeting was held IN
Dublin recently to discuss proposal for
the erection of great abattoirs in this city,
where Irish cattle can be killed and either
canned or frozen for export. 1T was stated
that 100000 would be Forthcoming with
In a week to finance the scheme as soon
as a definite plan was proposed. The
chief difficulty seemed to be the fear
that If the abattoir scheme was under
taken as a private enterprise it might fall
into the hands of a trust, and it was de-
cided to approach the department ol
agriculture and the agricultural organi-
cation society and suggest that they
should undertake the organization either
of government or of cooperative
concern to deal with Irish cattle and the
Irish meat trade.
Besides providing a ready market
which is not now available for Irish cat
tie the abattoir scheme has much to rec
ommend 1t. Under the present system oi
the expectation of live cattle all the sub
sidiary industries are lost to Ireland and
the work of converting the cattle into
beef and other products does not pro-
vide work for single Irishman. Will
liam p. Delany, president of the Dublin
Victuallers' association, announces that
$4,000 is available at once for invest
ment in a tannery and plant to handle the
while it is stated that another capitalist
Is ready to establish big boot factory
the moment he Is assured of steady sup
ply of leather tanned from Irish hides
Another source of profit is in bone
crushing. Vast quantities of bone manure
are now imported by Irish farmers, the
greater part of which no doubt was ex-
ported by them in the form of live cattle
English workmen have received the wages
earned in making it suitable to refer
tilize Irish soil.
In addition to keeping all this money
at home Irish farmers would receive much
better prices for their beef for they would
save the enormous extra expense in.
volved in shipping live cattle to Eng
land, all of which goes into the pockets
of English steamship owners. Dressed
beef occupies only fraction of the space
in ships hold required for an equiva-
lent number of live cattle, it requires
less care anQ handling, and there is nc
liability of loss from accident or dis.
case. Then the freights on the returning
by products are also saved.
The new plan has the advantage oi
being absolutely unassailable by the com.
petitive English interests No English
government today would dare to exclude
arbitrarily Irish produce. To do so would
bring a storm about its ears from the
British workjngman, who demands cheal
food, and even tariff against irish meal
is impossible. In fact, any tariff barrier
between England and Ireland is express
ly forbidden by the terms of the home
rule bill.
If the present plans are carried through
Ireland will have to thank the short
sighted English farmers for showing hei
the way to increased prosperity.