irish distress and emigration., March 21, 1883

irish distress and emigration.

Report by Consul-General Merritt, of London.

The reports published on both sides of the Atlantic relative to the extent and alarming character of the present distress among the Irish peasantry have been so conflicting and exaggerated that I have deemed an inquiry into the real facts of the situation would be of service to philanthropists, who too often give where charity is uncalled for and mistakenly withhold where it is needed. But aside from this consideration Irish distress means increasing emigration to the United States, and it includes many political questions into which it is not my province to enter. Wholesale emigration aided by Government is looked upon in many quarters as the only relief from the periodic famine, and measures are now on foot to send thousands of poor families from the “congested districts” of Ireland across the Atlantic.

Considering the subject in these aspects one of legitimate inquiry, on the 28th of February last I addressed a circular letter to the members of the United States consular corps in Ireland, asking them to make investigation in their respective districts and to report on the following points:

• Whether the published accounts of the distress were substantially correct or were exaggerated.
• Whether the prospects of amelioration in the immediate future were encouraging.
• To what extent will the existing conditions tend to a more rapid emigration to the United States or the English colonies.
• Whether the Government, the guardians of the poor, or associations are engaged in sending paupers to the United States.

I.

The reports submitted in reply to the first question, while admitting the gravity of the situation, generally agree that the distress prevailing at present is not exceptional in its character, and that the published accounts to the contrary are exaggerated. In the poorer agricultural districts the situation of the peasantry is miserable, and abject poverty is the rule, but sad as it is it has been the same for years and has become the normal condition of life. The partial failure of the potato crop in certain parts of Ireland has to some extent aggravated the situation. The fisheries have again been unsuccessful, and the rainy autumn and winter, while foreboding no good to the coming crops, have interfered with the work of the laborer. Consul Piatt, of Cork, says upon this point:

“While I am inclined to believe that the destitution and distress in Western and Southern Ireland are great enough and worthy of the assistance that our people are always disposed to give, there is certainly room to doubt whether the picture as it is shown to the outside world is not exaggerated. Boards of guardians and popular bodies, I am assured, are in a measure responsible for this exaggeration, as they, in their anxiety to have the poor-rates relieved by the opening of relief works by the Government, have made efforts to magnify the distress in some localities.”

In brief, it may be safely assumed that the much talked of “starvation point” has not been reached, however bad the situation may be, and that the local and Government authorities have abundant means at hand to relieve actual necessity.

II.

The prospects of amelioration of the present condition in the immediate future are most discouraging. Mr. Eccles, consular agent at Sligo, says:

“The wet weather of last harvest prevented much peat fuel being saved, and the poor suffer much from want of fire in consequence. Unless employment is given, or temporary charity be distributed until the warm dry weather comes, great distress, will, I believe, prevail; but the laborers and small farmers do not like to become the recipients of charity and are anxious to obtain employment to support themselves and families. There is no prospect at present of this employment being obtained, and the outlook is gloomy indeed.”

It is altogether unlikely that the Government will shortly commence public works in order to give employment to the people, as the policy settled upon is relief either by the workhouse or by emigration. The chief secretary for Ireland in a recent, speech said that the condition of the poorer class of farmers was more deplorable than that of any class of people living in any civilized country; that there were 67,000 farms of from 1 to 5 acres, and 160,000 of from 5 to 15 acres; and in the latter class there were not more than from 2 to 2½ acres of arable land in their holdings. Under more favorable conditions the agricultural interests in Great Britain have suffered severely, the present price of farming land being the lowest known in generations, and the oppression of bad seasons and foreign competition has reduced the Irish farmer, whether tenant or owner, to still lower depths of poverty. Trade in Ireland is extremely dull. Land is almost unsalable at any price, and the unsettled political state of the country forbids the hope of capital being forthcoming to extend manufacturing interests. From whatever point of view the subject is looked at there is little or no chance for an improvement in the immediate future.

III.

With great unanimity the consuls agree that the present condition must act as a powerful stimulus to emigration, and many interesting facts are given in their reports to illustrate this branch of the investigation. In 1882 the emigration was 89,566, an increase of 10,847 over 1881, and the present year, at the lowest, will certainly show an emigration of over 100,000. The total numbers represented 17.2 per 1,000 of the population as it stood in 1882; 74.8 per cent. of the persons who left Ireland last year were between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five, showing that a. large majority were able-bodied. Of the 47,426 males who emigrated, no less than 32,955 were returned as simple laborers. As to farmers, the figures for the past three years are: 1880, 1,994; 1881, 2,440; and 1882, 3,140.

IV.

As to the question whether the Government, the guardians of the poor, or associations are engaged in sending paupers to the United States, some diversity of opinion exists, which may be accounted for by the difference of the localities from which the consuls write. Consul Barrows, of Dublin, says that no such practice is in operation in his district. Consul Wood, of Belfast, writes:

“I know of no organized effort for any large deportation of sufferers or paupers to the United States. No doubt many will find their way there by the aid of friends, and often in a measure by charitable funds. It is to be feared that most of such emigrants are without means, and, what is worse, without skill in trades or other occupations, and with so little money as to afford no promise of any respectable support on their arrival in America.”

Consul Livermore, of Londonderry, understands that “Government agents, with no great success, however, endeavor to induce the poor and lazy to emigrate.” Mr. Eccles, at Sligo, after saying that the guardians of the poor have scheduled out certain districts under the emigration clauses of the land act, states that in the Sligo union alone 600 applications have been made, and in the western unions considerably more. Continuing, he says:

“The bulk of these emigrants will go to the United States. They will receive £7 per head to cover cost of passage and outfit. It has been calculated that this will cost £6 each, which will leave about £1 to each on arrival. As it appears to me, the guardians of the poor are desirous to emigrate those who are likely to be in a state of chronic poverty at home and save the rates from their possible support. If these people are thrown upon the cities of the United States without provision being made beforehand for their employment, they may become burdens on the rates there also, and the country of their adoption may become a looser instead of a gainer by their influx. * * * I believe also among the families who intend to emigrate there will be infants and many children of both sexes under fourteen years; old people will try to get out by giving fictitious ages, and similarly also with those suffering from insanity, idiocy, and other infirmities.”

I have thus briefly indicated the nature of the information which these consular reports contain and the general conclusions to which they tend, which I believe to be worthy of serious consideration. * * * As to relieving Irish distress by contributions of money from the United States, which have always been so liberal, the charges have been so frequent in the past that much of this money has been used for other purposes, that I suggest in the future the utmost care be taken in choosing the channels through which the charity is to be administered.

In conclusion, I desire to express my sincere thanks to the United States consular corps in Ireland for their full and prompt replies to my questions on the subject of this investigation.