The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-08-07

to rely upon foreign countries to send
her wheat ample enough to make
bread, etc.. for her people.
In figures this means that every
year Ireland has to import upwards
of 100000 cwts. of wheat, at a cost
Of s17.000.0OO. In addition, Ireland
purchases every year miltAd wheaton
flour from other countries, principally
England and America, to the extent
of 100000 cwts., valued at $780,
900. So that for both wheat and -four
the people of Ireland send every year
$SO,500,000 to foreign countries. Sure
ly 1t should be possible to save the
bulk of this almost unnecessary an.
nual outlay and at the same time
bring about a desirable change in az.
r1cultural methods in Ireland to the
permanent advantage Of the entire
Irish community.
It has been stated over and over
again that Free Trade. which English
statesmen maintained best suited Eng.
lish conditions. did not suit Irish con-
ditions. This is demonstrated by the
condition of agriculture in Ireland to.
day. Until the shadow of this ter
rible war heightened across the door.
step and homes of England, the states.
men of England swore by their ex-
listing fiscal policy. And the people
OF England thought likewise. This
war has exposed the weakness in this
policy and England sees today the
mistake she made in not encouraaine
tillage so as to produce ample food
stuffs for the requirements Of her
millions of people. Out of the pres.
ent chaos in Europe will emerge more
chastened and commensense ideas.
and I am not without hope that Ire.
land will stand to gain appreciably
by the revolution SO effected in eco.
nomic outlook.
Immediately war was declared ev.
erything eatable in Ireland was bur.
chased, largely by England, and / am
sorry to have to say it, but our Irish
farmers succumbed to the temptation
and disposed of their stocks at the in
Hated prices that have obtained since
the war began, and gave no thought to
the needs Of their own people at home
or to their own stock Reproducing
requirements for the future. And the
Department of Agriculture permitted
unchecked the serious expectation of
the live stock Of the country, nor un-
til after the evil had been done did it
prohibit the expectation and slaughter
OF breeding stock in Ireland. Th. In
terests of Ireland were once again
recklessly sacrificed to the needs Of
England, and the Cork Consumers
League, which I called into existence
at the start Of the war, was but as
the voice of one crying in the wilder
ness, when it sought to arouse the
country to the necessity that existed
at the time for the conservation Of
the food resources of the country. Tho
harm has now been wrought and Ire.
land and her people stand every
chance of suffering severely should
this disastrous war continue for any
undue length of time.
Three bodies, whose names have
mentioned in the earlier portion of
this address are specially concerned
with the advancement of the interests
of rural Ireland. Two of these, the De-
partment of Agriculture and the Con.
gested Districts Board are State-en.
lowed institutions. The third Is the
Irish Agricultural Organization So.
c1ety, a non-endowed body support
ed by its members and voluntary sub
scriptions. Needless to add that of
the three it is by far the most bod.
ular. That there is overlapping and
to some extent neglect Of work has
been proved times without number.
and the friction that has existed in
recent years between the first and the
third Of these bodies has not tended
TO promote efficient administration or
bring about these much to be desired
changes in Irish rural economy that
Sir Horace Plunkett has been patrt.
otically striving after these twenty
years back.
The first two bodies are, as I have
pointed out, State-endowed and State
controlled institutions. Their duty is,
therefore, to serve, first, the interests
OF their masters, the English Govern
ment, and secondly, to serve the inter.
ests of the country by which they are
maintained. Had these bodies the
true interests of Ireland at heart
when this calamitous war broke out
over Europe, Ireiands position today
would be such that at the termina-
ton of hostilities she would be in a
securer position to tide successfully
over the lean years that undoubtedly
Will follow in the wake of this devas.
tating war.
Did time permit 1 would ten Won
OF the working Of all three bodies and
would have much of interest and in.
formation to lay bare for your educa,
tion.. AS it is, 1 find have already
taxed your patience hovond r>>,on