The Washington herald., 1913-03-16
Failure of Crop Started Great Exodus to America:
More Irish in America than in Their Native Land.
Transfer of Population Still Going On.

I some Of the tubers were carried from
what is now North Carolina to England
by colonists who had been sent out by
Sir Walter Raleigh. and thus 1t came
about that the 1 tato made its first en-
trance into Ireland, being cultivated on
Raleigh's estate near Cork.
The vegetable was a most substantial
blessing to the Irish. and its culture
spread with extraordinary rapidity. Here
was a plant which produced SO much
food to the acre that the labor Of one
man would yield sustenance for forty
people. No attempt was made to store
the potatoes; they were simply left in
the ground, and dug as they were want
ed. A frost that penetrated unusually
deep in 1873 destroyed immense quantities
of the tubers, causing the first potato
famine.
Nevertheless, the augmented food sup
ply brought at least a temporary pros
perity- There was much marrying and
giving In marriage. and children multi
piled surprisingly. Whereas, in 17s5. the
population of Ireland was 2.S45. .932. only
eighteen years later; in 1903. 1t was s.
356,594, having almost doubled in the~in-
terval. In 1876 IL was s.2s5. .Os1-the bulk
of the people depending almost wholly
upon the potato for food.
Unfortunately. the potato. like other
vegetables. is subject to diseases. One
of these. commonly called the blight"
is hopelessly destructive, being due to
a fungus which rots the plant, the stems
and leaves becoming actually putrid.
Such was the malady that aflicted Ire
land in 1sf, bringing about the great
famine. which wiped out nearly 300. 90
lives-many who did not perish Of starva-
tion being carried of by sickness due
to lack of food.
The people had cultivated the potato
so exclusively that when the ''precarious
exotic (as somebody called III failed,
they were utterly destitute-as IL the
island were incapable of producing any
other kind of sustenance. There have
been famines since in ireland, due to
partial failure of this crop-as. for ex-
ample, in 1850. in Connaught and Donegal
but. happily, none anywhere near SO
bad.
The Exodus Starts.
The exodus begun in the great famine
year went right on, for the reason that
the Irish found it increasingly dificult
| to get living at home. During the de-
cade from 1880 to 1859 there were S74. os1
| arrivals in America from the Green Isle.
| In the next decade QSeo-ssl the number
fell to 405.71o. and in the ten years from
| 1900 to 1909 it was 3si.9io. But 1t will be
| noted that during these thirty years
1sSo to lase) the total efflux from Ireland
to this country amounted to very nearly
100000 of souls.
While Ireland was still paralyzed by
the effects of the famine of 1sF, her
taxes were largely increased by the
British government. and ever since then
Though this was not originally intend
ed by Mr.. Gladstone. who framed the
measure in the House of Commons.
they have continued at the same high
water mark. England at the present
time draws the enormous sum OF S50.-
100000 annually in taxes from the En-
erald Isle. and pays out So. 100000 Of
this total amount to support the gov
ernment of Ireland.
The system is wildly and outrageously
extravagant. as may be Judged from the
fact that the kingdom of Denmark.
which is a rich agricultural nation. pays
only 81, COO per annum for its whole
government home and foreign: for its
royal family, for its army with a war
strength Of 1000, for a fleet, and for the
i expenses OF three colonies. Poor Ire
land. on the other hand. being governed
from outside. is obliged to support a
body of 10,O10 administrative employees
in. or controlled from. Dublin. and gets
anna zingly little for her money.
The cause of the continued immisra-
tion has been grinding poverty. not only
individual but national. At the present
time. happily. affairs In Ireland are look
ing up considerably. There is more money
in circulation: industries, hitherto nom
existent for lack of capital, are being
started; and there is more work for able
bodied men and women. who have cow
monty been unable hitherto to get reg
ular employment at $3.50 a week. where
ss the aowest wages in England are s..
The Irishman loves his country pas
sionately, but he is driven out of it for
lack of obtainable livelihood. To show
how the stream of emigration iS con-
tinuing, the number of arrivals from
Ireland in the year 1910 was put down
by the immigration Bureau at 3S.3S2. In
1gI1 II was 40,ei6. Fortunately, the loss
Of the Eneral6 Isle is our gain, mas
much as the Irish have proved them
selves among the best and most useful
of our citizens-affording. indeed, a de-
lightful contrast to the peoples of South
and Southeastern Europe who have been
swarming into the United States dur
ing the last few years.
Hunt for Human Freight.
1t is true that the total volume of emil
grafton from Ireland would not be nearly
so great were il not for the activity
of the transportation companies in their
hunt for human freight The steamship
lines disclaim connection with anybody