Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15


patron saint is coherent with the exist
euce of every creature who looks to Ire
land as the land of his birth or the home
of his fathers Pat has for years been
used as a synonym of the ridiculous char
scter with higa hat and short stem
pipe: Yet The name has never met with
scorn. ON the contrary the good-natured
laughter which this type has occasioned
IN America has gained favor for every
one of ST. P&tr.c.i's n;.nesakos.
The fact tiat st. PatricllS day calls
forth Z Spontaneous demonstration from
about four millions Of people in Ireland
does not sssu.ly that this day is impor-
tant only III the little green island.
According 70 the recent census reports
of the United States. there are about as
many sons eff Erin in our lard who pay
like tribute to the memory Of this saint
of their mother country or 10 this saint
revered by reason of parental influence.
lf the iuha btautS Of Dublin. Ireland $
chief city. and the lrish-born persons
and those born of Irish parents in New
York city should all be sent to the same
factory Tor Golden-harped flags to carry
In honor Of ST. Patrick. the order from
the American city would be half again
as large as that from the city of Erin
New York city's Irish flag is therefore
about once ana half as large as
Dublin's.
II is said that despite the large foreign
population of our land. the native-born
American always seems trife sur
prised to learn that his new acquaintance
IS from England. Norway or where not.
The one exception to this rule. however
is that he is scarcely ever surprised to
learn that his most recently acquired
friends are from Ireland
of nil in,
country are Irish and since the Celtic
nature and characteristics are never
eraporated in the great melting pot of
characterization, there is much that is
truly Irish in the citizenship of our land.
During the last ninety years Ireland has
lost over two millions of her people
through migration; and of this number
II is probable that at least million and
quarter have come to America. Even
now all but three Irish counties show a
decrease in population. largely because
the people of that country are adopting
the Stars and Stripes as their new ensign
of patriotism. The increasing population
of Dublin and Belfast is all that keeps
the census of Ireland from showing a de-
crease.
Today the traveller through the rural
parts of that country wonders why SO few
people are to be seen. The inquirer usu-
ally gains the information from the ma
tives that the absent relatives and neigh
bors are in Chicago, Boston or New
York. U. s. A
In Boston one out Of every three for
eigners Is Irish. while the proportion in
New York city is one to five. In Boston
there are only about four thousand more
native Americans with native parents
than there are Irish. Even in the great
city of New York there are only about
twice as many pure Americans as sons
of ireland. while in Philadelphia and
Chicago the rate is one to three and in
Pittsburgh and Cleveland one to four
Although the majority of those from
the little green island who make their
home with Uncle Sam come from peas
ant stock, yet FIVE out of every six pre-
fer to live in large cities. Perhaps for
mer failure in rural life may be RESPONSE
Bile for this choice; but the more probable