The Irish standard., 1895-02-16

women in almost ali branches OF such
public services, while in every other re-
spect the women of America enjoy pro
lection through the lnwritten law OF
native courtesy and the actual law Of the
land, which an enlightened wife beating
England might strive to emulate without
risking too much injury to old and cher
lshed customs.
| The faults of American public life are
those Of popular liberty. There are 12,-
EEhQl0, 0,O0O voters in population OF some
l@, OO0,0 of people. II wrongs exist or
scandals obtain, it is the people them
3sslves who are to blame for allowing
those abuses to continue Iftrusts bribe
congressman, it is the people who elect
.snnh venal law makers. 1t judges or
magistrates do not hold the scales of
justice evenly, it is a popular selection
of these administrators of the law which
stands condemned. But it is well to
bear in mind that il these things are as
frequently done as English critics aIlsge
(spd I deny the proposition) it is popular
lgpvernment, manhood suffrage, and the
r4st which are accused rather than the
american people, for are not they, the
a ;0Oo, 600 of them, "sons and daughters
! 81 Englsnd?"
lGranted, however, that American
phblic men and institutions have lib
efal share of human and political frailty
EH answer tor-at home---hov stands the
p&se in external matters? They are not
oonquerors. They do not 20 with the
Bible to Africa to preach ths command
nlent "Thou shalt not steal" and then,
IN exchange for teaching, steal the
country from the "blood thirsty savages"
who dared to resist this little Christian
transaction. American government may
be all it ia alleged by some Englishmen
to be; but it does not govern 2O0,O0O,OO0
ot people, one fourth Of whom exist on
ain average income of 40 rupees a year
| out OF which they have to pay a tax on
their SALT for the blessings OF the British
rule which it lis their proud privilege TO
live under. Possibly the scandal of the
Iexow committee, the sins OF Chicago
and the evil doings Of q few politicians
|sEagaAy sppear to American public opinion
comparative small crimes slong side OF
the records of England'a doings in India,
Tre!and and e1sewhera
With reference to labor in the United
States, much can be said and has been
said that is misleading. The chief ob
stacle in the path of trade union rgan.
ization and progress is the existence Of a
constantly growing mass of European
cheap labor which is thrown into the
scale against American workingmen. re
English trade unionists had to encounter
impediments of this nature and extent,
there would be less progress made than
is now boastsd Of. If the States are be.
hind England in the legal protection OF
workers interests, it is due to tbs Cir
cumstances peculiar to the ignorance
and political incapacity of the foreign
elements which figure so largely in the
ranks of American labor, and not to tbs
want of able labor leadership. Iqueation
whether any country having a labor
movement can boast OF abler or cleaner
handed labor leaders than Terence
Powderly, Samuel Gompers or John
Mcbride; three workingmen who have
done moro to advance the labor GAUGE OF
the United States than any three names
in any other country can be credited
with performing for their compatriot
workers.
LIST US by all means help the labor
cause in America and elsewhere by
friendly advice and active sympathy.
Work Of this kind will bless them who
give as we'll as these who receive; but I
venture to think that q too sseeping de-
nunciation of everything American, On
too slight acquaintance with that im-
mense country and it's people, is show
not to do it" method Of bringing about
an international feeling of labor brother
hood. Eng|ishrnen should occasionally
remember the modest protest OF "Hosea
Biglow:"
Of all the sarse that can call to mind,
ENGLAND does make the most unpleasant kind,
It's you re the sinner oilers, she's the saint;
WHAT'S goods all English, all that isn't, amt.
she is all that's honest, honnable and fair,
And when the Vartoos died they made her heir.
Truth Stranger than Fiction.
An accident recently occurred in Eng
land which was identical with Black
more's awful climax in "Christowell." ;"
Service had just begun in St. Columb
Major Church, near Trure, Cornwall,
when a fash of dazzling blush light and
deafen1ng crash like the explosion of a
bomb filled the church and put the
congregation to fight. The lightning