The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-01-29

AdS WIS oeeu al Goluuuol uSc
throughout the Southern States. Ire.
lands wooden industries were never
oqnalled, as the wool was remarkably
fine. The climate on the west coast
of Ireland, in County Clare and Coun-
ty Kerry, had an effect on the quality /
Of the wool which yet exists after so |
long an interval as the wool of the
mature sheep in this district is still !
remarkably fine.
We may consider Ireland's possibili-
ties indefinitely and not the slightest
doubt can be raised as to the success
of any industry in Ireland if the de.
velopment be under favorable c:rcum-
stances.
When separation from England has
been gained, there will be created at
once demand for good food and
proper clothing. We have now
reached point where l should. as a
medical man, place on record my en-
l.erience in connection with Ireland
flom 1871 to 1903. Since then my
knowledge has been chiefly based
upon published medical records and
from these l am led to believe there
has been but little change for the bet
ter. The people of Ireland have not
been properly fed for over three cen
turis. but the children were better
cared for before the famine of 1S47.
a rule, the tea bakers bread diet of
their elders, and have been fortunate
while regularity of gain and suffi-
cheney for moderate repletion exist
I'd. There was never famine il
ireland but of Englands making, to
increase the gain of her own people
when more than ten times the amount
of food was being taken out of the
country than would have saved every
individual from starvation. The fam
ne OF 1S47 was one of profit to her
and her people in her demand for the
FOUND Of flesh. The United States
government sent the sloop of war
"Jamestown" laden to her gunwales
with food for the starving people OF
ireland, yet not a particle of this
abundance ever reached those in
want. The cargo was placed by the
English government in warehouse
in Cork and rotted, as we'll as many
ether contributions from the charita-
ble of the world. In regard to this,
Sir Robert Peel, then the English
Premier, stated that the natural
course Of commerce and trade would
be deranged" by such way o. dis
tributing charity. After the English
traders had gotten possession of ev-
cry six-pence to be obtained, the gov
elilment yielded to public demand
and made an advance as if of charity
on it's part, which proved to be Irish
money, which Ireland had to repay
witt. interest, notwithstanding the
greater part was paid out to English
clerks, who rendered no official ser.
vice by distributing ticket for a
pint of meal to q man dying of
dysentery, to be obtained at some
claimed depot twenty miles distan!
and the sufferer unable to take twenty
steps. Most difficult is it for the writ.
er to confine himself to a consiiera,
tion of Irish industries when there is
SO much to be considered in close
connection, and the direct result of
England's destruction of these indus.
tries from her misrule, where a man
may live In half-starved condition
for u year without being able to earn
a shilling for days work.
Ireland today contains more per
sons doomed to die from tuberculosis
than any other country, with many
demented and half-witted people, as
we'll as many hopelessly insane, when
In 1743 the disease was almost un
known in the country and the first
asylum was built by Dean Swift in
consequence of his own condition be
ing an indication of coming need
The saddest condition of all is the
sight of so many blind persons. |
have myself come upon some out-of
the-way nook along the west coast
where all seemed to be in rags and
apparently with no other subsistence
than some kind of seaweed and a
coarse grass that any other animal
than a goat would reject. Nearly all
were more or less blind, and on ex
aiming their eyes, l found condi
ton with which l had become famil
lar as early as 1859 among the half
starved Irish emigrants suffering from
ship. or typhus, fever. From the low
condition of their vitality, due to
chronic starvation, the clear portion
of the eye over the pupil would ulcer
ate. and II they lived long enough for
it to heal, as the scar was not trans
parent, they remained blind for the
remainder of their lives.
!, These details. which would be OF
little interest except to the medical
man, must be cited to show that the
first industry to be undertaken in
Ireland is agriculture. Every portion
of the country should be planted