The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1888-10-06
THE PROVINCE OF ULSTER.
Historical Causes of the Differences Be-
tween Ulster and the Rest
of Ireland.
SC0TCH-IRIsH PRESBYTERlANS.
the North and South Of Ireland Belfast
and It's Linen Industries Con
GLIDING Opinions.

tDr. Abort Shaw in the Minneapolis Tribune
The Irish tour which furnished tie
subject matter for two Tribune letters
in July was interrupted before it
reached the point Of geographical com
pletion. 1 was called back to
London without having visited the
northern counties. constituting the
province Of Ulster. BuE the Ulster
question is the very pivot Of the whole
Irish political situation, and I was de-
termined to come back at my earliest
opportunity and see the busy mauufact-
airing towns and comparatively thrifty
and prosperous farms Of the Protestant
North. had been told that ulster
fight rather than submit to be ruled
from Dublin by the representatives. of
tho masses of the Irish people, and I
desired to find out for myself, On the
very ground, the viaws and feelings of
the Scotch Irish Presbyterians, and the
motive and political meaning OF
''Orangeism.
Already 1t has been possible, after a
few days OF close observation and
ceaseless Intervening OF all classes OF
the population. to form sorne definite
conclusion. Historical causes lie at the
root Of the differences between Ulster
and the rest OF Ireland. II is not ne
ceasary mere to review the circums-
tances under which the conqueriug
English Invaders coioniZed the north
Of Ireland with Scotchner,. II is sutH-
ciend to cEn phasize the fact that Ulster
from Chat day to Ghis has never made
the acquaintance Of the rest Of the
island. The northern counties have
been like an outlying Scotch province.
PRESBYTERIAN in creed, tiejr ministers
have been educated in Edinburgh.
With their many fine harbors along
their broken north and east coast line,
their Grade has been with England and
Scotland. From tile high hills which
Tie back Of the Belfast harbor one may
ne:o tbs: Scotch mainland on clear day;
s,;td Esom The cliffs Of the northern
Goa, 1f counties Derry auu Antr,na, at
t;aa Giants Caslseway, ik;r instance, the
rAg&ad coast line OF the western Scotch
hlg u}ands stretches in full view for q
long distances. Rail communication
with Dublin and the South arc not very
good, and freight rates ara high. Very
few OF lie farmers and common people
OF The ,s>ortb have ever seen the Catho-
lie Sn9ti., Or ever been outside their
own localities. They aye not a people
Of low intelligence, but their views are
narrow >ud their prejudioes are ntense.
IT has been nearly 300 years since
King James, the detbroued Catholic
monarch, took refuge with his loyal,
Irish subjects. only TO be defeated by
William Iii. e. " illiam OF Orange'') on
the famous battlefield of the Boyne,
The religious aniIoosities II that per
Tod Of Spanish armadas and blood spill
Jig bigotry have been kept alive here
in the North of Ireland for these 200
years az almost nowhere else. Tbe
common people are taught to Gear and
hate Catholicism, and are tea ON the
mi 10 ,ries of the siege OF Londonderry
and the Spanish inquisjtion, and all the
frighstul stories of the old days OF the
persecution Of the Scotch covenanters.
3:hia religious bigotry has been
played upon racst lngeniously by the
c!ergy-especially the clergy Of the Pro-
testa1t Episcopal lSjsh chnrch~and by
the gentry Of the landlord class, for
their OWN purposes. need not repeat
their arguments. It is not difficult to
Imagine the line OF reasoning which
the clergy, in their fight to maintain
their unjust public establishment Of
their church throughout Ireland, fol
lowed with the Professionals Of the North.
and it is quite as easy To SEQ the politi-
cal and pscauulayy ends the landlords
would lave in view in fostering ''Cr-
angeisN" and keeping the farmers and
artisans Of the North froln joining the
popular cause OF ireland, through the
fermentation OF religious bitterness and
SITllt. OAdNSEtHul ali JlASuSiEo
and militant religious movement that
has no counterpart in The Catholic |
South; and am glad to fnd it disconn-
tenanced and condemned by the re~
sponsible business men Of Belfast, even
though themselves opposed to Home
Rule. The farmers are not SO strong
in the Orange lodges as they formerly I
we're, and the movement seems to have
found it's level in the Least reputable
elements Of the towns, always admit
ting the fact that it has able leadership.
Undeniably, the North is more pros
porous than the South. Some of the |
Northerners themselves will modestly !
tell You this is because they are indus
trious and thrifty and orderly, while
the rascals in the South are lazy
drinking lot, engaged in political agita
ton. Others will lay it al fatty to the
superiority Of Professionalism over Cath
olicism. Still others attribute it to the
a;fforance IF hlOfNd. ascrihinp All vir |