The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-11-29
was of the highest Importance to the
country -Connaught Telegraph.
las THE TWiC Is BENT" ETC.
Britain Trying Still to Bend the Irish Youth
towards LOYALTY" and the Poorhouse.

have been interested in the cor
respondence in your journal relating
to school teachers as instructors OF
patriotism. l have felt the truth and
pertinence Of the remarks of Mr..
Ryan and others, for l am in a posi-
ton to know to a great extent the
facts on the subject. What an inval-
liable assistant in the national cause
the Irish teacher could be we all feel;
but that this opportunity for helping
ireland is not used by large part OF
the school teachers in Ireland is only
too true.
| got my small share Of education
from three different teachers-head
teachers in the national schools. One
succeeded the other, but not one OF
them ever taught me nor the boys
that with me looked to them for
knowledge, that we had any II gifts
which our alien masters were bound
to respect.
That we were ever destined by Goa
for any other purpose, as nation;
than to pay tribute to England and
get drafted into her army and navy
any time we were called upon. Never
told us that the millions Of acres OF
land in lIreland, now owned by a
comparatively few chords and
"esquires,' belonged once to the
whole people and belongs to them yet,
by every right of nature, justice, and
civilization.
That the millions Of human beings
in Ireland who live life OF hungry
toll, WHOSE CHIEF OBJECT IN LIFE IS
TO PAY THE RENT, are living under Il
huge wrong.
That the poverty and ignorance and
excessive hardships Of the large body
of the people of Ireland are unnatural,
and legislated on them by Il wicked
system of government; or govern
ment, too, to which they OWe 40 0lle-
glance.
We were told nothing of the kind !;
on the contrary we were carefully
taught submission and respect for the
laws that unnamed us without any
questioning as to who made those laws
for us or how or why they were forced
on us.
Not u word about our Own right to
maize the lars we should obey.
Since | have grown to the age to
read and study and find out for my
self, | have learned to love my land
with an undying love and hate the
oppression forced on her with a
hatred that can be appeased only
with the downfall Of the wrong
/ know your teachers for miles
around. I often converse with them
on the subject, but many, many Of
them are utterly ignorant of their
country's history: indeed Of the pres
ent state Of Ireland.
One particular gentleman, Mr.. Ryan,
knows him too, for he halls from his
quarter, and prides himself on having
his tongue tempered with silver, had
the audacity to deliver lately a lying
loyal "prosperity' speech from off a
public PLATFORM; but he was soon
brought to bay and his plagiaristic,
false language scattered to the wind.
He and his like are hardly to be
blamed. They are educated so. They
have never had an Irish history or Il
patriotic lesson from the systematic
series of school books they went
through.
Grecian valor on the plains of Mara
then, Saxon valor at Agincourt, and
Persian valOr before the walls of Bah
ylon; but never a word of Irish valor
at Benburb or FOntenoy, or anywhere
else are chrOnicled in those books.
Fortunately there are numerous
exceptions to this class of teachers
and of training; but ulNler govern
ment that never trusts freedom Of
speech. nor the use of weapons, nor
the use of books or colleges without
her inspection even the most
patriotic of those teachers ase muZ.
Zled.
Nothing gets patronage or encour
agement from the government that
does not tend to teach loyalty" to the
people. The Christian Brothers
Schools are loyal ones. Obedience t.
the British lars and respect for royalty
are taught in them. Hence the gov.
eminent looks upon them rather as
allies than anything else, and they are
quite sure of being unmolested. Di
rectly and indirectly the youth OF
Ireland are piled constantly with loyal
weapons. Loyalty ! Loyalty to 4
government that forced its authority
on them and only to rob them. is
taught to them and preached to them
and forced on them. The British
government is active. Her annual
income from Ireland is too large to
let it he taken from her through care
leSsnesS. She pays her spies we'll to
keep her subjects under. She gives
them 4 share of the plumber, and
manages things so that after while
IN her service they are unfit for any.
thing else and have to keep on wheth-
er she pays them or not.
In the whole programme there is
danger for the future of Ireland. We
need to organize. TO work. to sacrifice
time and means to counterfeit the
influence and perseverance of Britain
and her allies in Ireland and with the
youth of Ireland. Organization is
sorely needed in every town. hamlet
and.school-house;withou it we cannot
dream of thousand men or even five
hundred men of the rising generation
,n.-tnr;,sr ~ 1ihar+v uorn - o.,l