The Irish standard., 1914-09-05

IL IL not an uncommon thing TO meet
Irishmen in the various parts of Ire
land who had spent a large part of
their lives in America, only to come
back here to engage in other indus
tries.
The greatest boon of modern times
to the development of agriculture in
Ireland was the passing of the act by
which the government brought out
the estates of the landlords and Of
fered tenants the privilege of buying
it outright. Prior to that the land
lord could raise the rents or evict a
tenant practically at will. It was
this eviction process that drove many
an Irish farmer to emigrate to the
United States. 1t was this condition
that drove away from here millions
of young men and women who would.
under more favorable conditions,
have given their energy and enter
prise to the development of Irish
industries.
Irish landlordism practically put a
penalty on thrift. If a tenant
worked hard and by sheer power of
his industry got a decent return
from his holding, the landlord, unless
he happened to be a reasonable man,
as, it appears, too few of them were,
would raise the rent. The conse-
quence was that the thrifty tenant
had to pay the penalty. for his in
dustry in excess rent.
The more prosperous tenant was
under tyrant landlord in those
days the worse off he was. This
created restless condition, the Sc
quail to which is told in the story
of the emigration figures for Ireland.
The young men and women left for
other countries by the millions.
Ireland was thus left in the con-
dition of a country that had been
swept by war. The young, vigorous
and enterprising part of it's popula-
ton was gone. The older men
those who had passed the days where
they would turn their hands to new
things behind to follow
the old rut.
Conditions are better now. The
census figures tell the story. The
latest report shows that the decrease
in the emigration still continues. The
people are beginning to stay home
and consequently there is hope for
the future industrial development of
Ireland. A farmer is now not only
privileged to buy his land, but he
may borrow money from the govern
ment to put improvements on it.
Laborers' cottages are being built
in all parts of the country. These
are comfortable little buildings that
the laborer may have, together with
enough land for garden, at
reasonable price. The people gener-
ally are content 1t is contentment
which comes from comparing present
conditions with the almost unbear-
able conditions of thirty-five years
ago.
This sign of contentment is used
as an argument against home rule by
those who oppose that change in the
government of the country. 1t does
not seem to be a sound argument.
The acts of parliament responsible
for present conditions in Ireland
were not the unsolicited gifts of the
unionist party. 1t took long agita-
ton to bring them about. They were
concessions, not gifts. They do not
represent full measure of justice
The people in the country general
ly live in stone houses, one story
high and with two or three rooms.
These houses have thratched roofs,
that is, roofs made of straw careful
ly laid in place and bound by ropes
made of straw. A fresh layer of
straw four or five inches thick is
placed over this when there is danger
of leaking. Where oats straw is used
this is done about every other year
This, straw packs together tightly as
it ages, but in spite of the packing
the roofs on some of the old houses
show a depth of 18 or 20 inches in
straw.
The lighting of these houses is
often poor. 1t is not uncommon to
see house which has only two
windows, both of which are on one
side. No light whatever is admitted
through the two ends or the other
side.
The floors are made of fiat pieces
of stone. very imperfectly fitted to-
gether. A low fireplace is the only
means to be had for cooking and
supplying the heat necessary to keep
these buildings dry and warm.
Turf is the only fuel used in most
of the country places in Ireland. 1t
makes excellent fire, and the adept
ness with which the colleen can make
cup of "tay" and cook the potatoes
and mush never fail to amaze the
xy;c tho cooro So,