The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-11-27

The United States has been justly
called the melting pot, wherein the
different races of Europe have been
fused and melted into what has be-
come the American race.
The same process but on much
smaller scale, and with fewer ingredi-
ents took place in England. Ireland,
France. Spain and Italy in centuries
past. The principal ingredients in the
pot at the present time include the
Anglo Saxon, Irish, German, Slav, the
Mediterranean races, the Scandinav-
ians and Jews.
A noted man of science has recently
estimated the relative strength of the
principal races as follows: Anglo.
Saxon, 81 per cent; Irish, German and
Scandinavian, 80 per cent; Mediter-
ranean and slav, "a per cent. Further
investigation of this subject shows
that the investigator is greatly in err.
TOR. The following estimate is more
correct. British. IS per cent; Irish.
"a per cent; German and Scandinav-
ian, 81 per cent; Mediterranean and
Slav, "a per cent; Negroes, etc., 3 per
cent.
The Irish came here In greater or
less numbers from the beginning. At
the close of the Revolution, com.
mission was appointed by the British
Government to inquire into the con-
duct of the war just closed with the
colonies. A British officer who served
during that war testified before the
commission that majority of the sol.
diers in the American army we're Irish.
1t is shown that large part of the
Irish in the country at that time were
Presbyterian Irish from the north OF
Ireland and because of their accent
were called by the other colonials
Scotch-Irish; but they, themselves,
were content to be known simply as
Irish and called themselves such, they
were certainly entitled to call them
selves Irish. They were to man en-
listed In the patriotic cause.
The real Scotch on the contrary
were solidly on the side of "The King"
The great Irish tide, however, began
in 1920 and continued until the open
ing of the Civil war. During this Pc
riod there were probably close to g.
100000 Irish immigrants landed on our
shores. The registered number is
about four and one-half million. but
the actual number is much larger for
many of the early Irish embarking
from English ports were counted as
coming from England.
Ireland's population has been shrink.
ing for the last 60 years. Ireland has
now fewer people than the state of
Ohio. Gradually the people are again
coming to own the ground under their
feet. Natural industries and natural
art are reviving. We're it not for the
policy now in vogue to drain Ireland of
her young men her growth in CON-
merce and population might grow to
a proportion in keeping with her i'm
portance.
In surveying the principal races that
make up the American people today
and considering the conditions, and en-.
vironment from which they emigrated,
and the advantage and disadvantage
resulting, 1t is source of great salts.
faction and pride to we Irish to learn
that we have held our own with the
best of them. Statistics clearly show
that never anywhere has a people 50
terribly handicapped made such gal
liant and successful fight for "a place
In the sum-"
Let it not be forgotten that at home
the Irish immigrant had lived under
vastly more demoralizing social and
political conditions than that from
which any of our other immigrants
have come.
is. Irish development had been forcibly
arrested by the selfish policy of theil
conquest. In the latter part of the
18th century the English Parliament
at the behest of the English grazers
and farmers put an end to Ireland't
cattle trade. then to her expectation
of provision to the colonies, after
wards came export duties on Irist
woods, later complete prohibition o.
Irish woolens to foreign countries. cot
ton, glass, hats, iron manufactures ani
sugar refining. Whatever business
B Ireland turned her hand to that bust
ness, was in turn restricted. The re
suits was that the natural capacity Of
the people was repressed, the growth
Of Industrial habits was checked, the
Z country was held down to simple agri
culture under blighting system of ab
sentee landlordism, system that pu,
" premium on shiftlessnes, and inena
cheney. and destroyed all initiative
Il On the top Of all this came the plague
and starvation, and then the great exc
tdus. Millions fed to America, landinf
here penniless. many illiterate and
without industrial training. What wal
there for them to do but rush theil
labor into the nearest market, and hud
IDLE closely in slums in the cities
added to their other misfortunes the