The Irish standard., 1897-09-18
PRE-EMINENT CRAFTSMANSHIP
Have Shone Resplendently In Col
0nial Government.
GREATEST vlcER0Ys OF INDIA
Brilliant Galaxy of Celts in the
Queens Possessions.

For the special instruction of the
Minneapolis Times, which crroncously
declared that "the lrishlnan has never
shonc in The higher places of stateman-
ship we reproduce the following arti.
Gle llNm the Dublin Frcrlnan's Journal
to prove that Irishmen in the art OF
government have thrown the English
ana Scotch completely into the shade
and have been the real rulers Of the
British empire:
An English journcl recently took the
opportunity of stating that of all the
Colonial Prcniris who attended the
Diamond Jubilee celebrations not one
was a native of Ireland, and in doing SO
unconEciously recognized to some ex.
tent the importan, fact that till now
lrishmcn have taken what might almost
be called the principal part in building
up the Empire of which Eng'ishmcn
make SO much. For ii is n fact with
which Great Britain is only partially
acquainted that until tine present day
II has been the r,llr rather -han the
exception for Irshmcn to- occupy the
highest posts In the British Empire
though even ut this present moment
they hold not Il few OF these elevated
posts. With characteristic incnnsi6tcn-
cy, the London Times and other jour-
nails which furiousy deny the right and
capacity of our countrymen to govern
their own island. are frequently Obliged
to acknowledge with almost every fresh
appointment, that irishmcn succeeded
better as administrators of the affairs
of Engand's colonial dependencies than
any other men. and that the much talk
cd of Saxon superiority over other races
Is simply a dclusion and Il sham Not
80 many years back, Sir George Fcrgu-
son Bowen. himself an eminent colonial
governor, and OF course an Irishman,
had the courage to tell a large audience
OF Imperial t'cdcrationists in London,
which was presided over by the Prince
of Wales. that the talk about the Irish
mans intrlpacity for self-government
was practically dishonest and absurd and
he instanccd the amazing fitness of his
cO,ntrymcn as rulers by the informa-
ton, which must have surprised his
hearers, that there had not been an in
stant in the history Of the Australian
colonies When lrishmcn were not at tho
head of affairs. and that at one period
every one of the governors was Irish,
with but one exception and he, Sir
George added, had married an Irish
woman. Looking over the long list Of
men who have distinguished themselves
;ls administrators OF English rule, 1t is
quite clear that our cOuntrymen have
had cOlOnia. matters almost always in
their own hands. And even the theory
of the vauntcd capacity of the Scotch
for rising to the top of the tree has
received Il decided contradiction in coll
onial history. for they have been COM
PEELED to take n back seat in the colon
les. But when their record is added to
the Irish one it is plain that English
men have had little or no part in con-
ducting the affairs Of the empire on
which the sun never sets.
~ thtiN 10 ho'h'io III 'h' ii7NcAJ VI
India and similar English possessions in
which VIC can take pride, so far as Irish
administrators are cOnccrned we can at
least congratulate ourselves that the no
tion OF Anglo-Saxon superiority over
Cclts at least received it's quietus. In the
case of the free colonies there is good
reason for feeling that Irishmen have
done their part in obtaining for them
their freedom. While America was a
British Colony Irishmen had a promi-
ncnt share in governing it, but 1t is
pleasant to record that its part in eman.
cpatng it, and making it the great
country 1t is has been infinitely greater.
Without question, the greatest vice.
roys of India have been Irishmen. The
names of Wellesley, Hastings, Law
renee Duffcrin, and Mayo are highest
on the roll of Anglo-lndinn admlnistra-
| tors. The first named was the brother
of the Duke OF Wellington, and was as
| great in craftsmanship as was the latter
| in arms. His services in India have
been recorded in one of the volumes Of
| the "Rulers of India" series, where it is
admitted that some of the most import
ant reforms in Indian administration
were due to his liberal policy.
! The Marquis Of Hastings (better
known as Lord Moira) was equally dis
tinguished by his rule in India. Many
of the writer's upon Indian affairs cor
daily praise his wise and enlightened
administration. The family Of the Law-
rences was specially connected with 1ns
dia. 1t came originally from Derry. an