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

Lecture Delivered by J. L. Fawsitt,
Secretary Of the Cork Industrial
Development Association.
l intend to devote tonight's address
exclusively to a consideration of the
position and state of agriculture in
Ireland in these. latter days and to
assist you to a fuller and juster ap-
probation of the actions of those who
are striving to promote to deeper
extent the amenities of rural life in
Ireland today.
Out Of Ireland's population in 1914
Of 4,381,3 1898 persons, some 1,073,238
were actually engaged in agriculture.
That is to say, approximately one.
fourth of her entire population were
dependent upon agriculture for a live
lihood within Ireland. Out of Ireland's
entire area Of 20,371,125 acres LAS dis.
closed by the 1911 census returns) only
2,311, 622 acres were actually titled in
1914, whilst the area capable of being
titled was 14,742,766 acres. OF this
latter area more than 100000 acres
were so many pasture fields for the
raising Of live stock, whilst close upon
100000 acres were under hay. From
these figures, which are official and
the latest available, you can best gath
er true idea as to the extent to
which the term AGRICULTURAL may
be applied to Ireland.
Now, am not here to decry agri.
culture in Ireland. I am here to state
facts as they exist and to assist you
to fuller understanding of modern
Irish economic conditions, so that you
may be in a position to form a more
exact judgment on those Irish ques-
lions that arise from time to time and
which no doubt at this distance and
with the limited Information SO far
available. may have hitherto perplex'
ed and confused your minds.
In my previous address I quoted for
you figures showing the serious de-
cline in tillage in Ireland in the past
fifty years. To the student of eco
nomics this decline is apparently mex
plicable since the decline has set in
despite the beneficial operations of the
various Land Purchase and Laborers
Cottage Acts passed for Ireland in
recent years. Also, this decline in
tillage has continued from year to
year despite the activities of the De
partment of Agriculture, the Congest'
ed Districts Board and the Agricul
tural Organization Society, all con.
cerned with the development of agri'
culture in Ireland.
The explanation and solution Of the
riddle can be found, am inclined to
believe, only in the disturbed and
unsettled political conditions that
have existed in Ireland this many
years back. am glad, however, to
be able to state authoritatively that
the war crisis in Europe has had the
effect Of inducing the farmers of Ire
land to break more land in Ireland this
year than was put under the plough
in any one of the past forty years
1t is devoutly to be hoped that this
increase in Irish tillage this year will
go on increasing from year to year in
Ireland until she is placed in that
happy position of being able to feed
her entire population and to dispose
only of her surplus produce to out
side nations.
Before telling you something Of
the value in cash to Ireland of her
agricultural products I should like tc
mention here that the twenty odd mil
lion acres of land in Ireland is di
vided up into 608,074 holdings. Of
which 439,628 were under 80 acres in
extent, 136,401 under 100 acres and
only 32,O45 over 100 acres in extent
These figures may help you to under
stand more clearly the "land hunger
that exists in Ireland, and the ex
tremely large price per acre that is
paid for land in Ireland. There is not
sufficient land in Ireland to go around
and so it comes to pass that all but
the eldest sons of farmers in Ireland
are of necessity compelled to seek fol
a livelihood in callings other than ag
ricultural. OF the 1896 holdings un
der 80 acres in extent, it should be
stated that 302,53O represent holdings
Of less than Is acres in extent. The
vast bulk of these are what are call
ed "uneconomic" holdings out of the
produce of which it is not humanity
possible to maintain even the low lev
ell of prosperity common to the great
mass of the peasantry of the west OF
Ireland.
have told you that our population
is dwindling in Ireland and that tillage
is declining whilst grass ranches are
spreading their dread tentacles over
the entire countryside. Side by side
with this tragic decay Of our country
side there hoo hoon q nrnnouncad in