The Irish standard., 1897-05-29
What Reynolds Newspaper Says
About the Celebration.
VICTORIAN MIsGovERNMENT.
No Wonder lrishmen Loathe the
Name of England.
FRAU WETTIN's LONG REIGN.


Is a Record of Starvation and
Misery in ireland.
The character which our government
bears throughout the world is that of
thief and liar, says Reynolds Newspa-
per, published in London. Other ma
tions steal with brutal frankness; we
thieve like the area sneak. Having
killed a certain number of people and
appropriated their property, we hide our
crimes under the odious hypocrisy Of
Notwithstanding" and "civilizing" 1t is
curious how this CHASTITY dissimulaton
runs through all ranks of our people.
The hardened criminal going to the
gallows for some abominable offense,
whines about being washed in the
blood" These are considerations to be
borne in mind when we come to discuss
the question Of England's treatment of
ireland. he
Now, England has done in Ireland
exactly what she has done in South
Africa and in India. She went to the
country, murdered the inhabitants, con-
f1scated the land, and left the original
pOssessors in poverty, condition In
which they have remained until the
present day. But this unabashed thief
has gone one step further. She is now
screwing tribute of &2.500,00O a year
from Ireland, more than ought to be
paid If either the provisions of the act
of union are taken into consideration,
or the taxable capacity of the country.
Ireland has never ceased to object to-
the so-called union. Yet she is not only
coerced into this unhappy wedlock, but
she is actually forced every year to pay
some G8,Oo0,OO0 towards the English
government, its army, navy and war
debt. No wonder Irishmen throughout
And here let us not be misunderstood.
With the bulk of the people of this
country Ireland has no quarrel. Their
antagonism is to the English govern
ment. And what does that mean? It
means an aristocracy,- or an oligarohy,
ruling permanently a democracy, in
name. For, we are sorry to confess,
there is no real democracy in this
country. A considerable minority pro-
fess democratic opinions, and act up to
them; but the majority are either indif-
ferent, or ignorant. II it were other
wise, we should not have the spectacle
of our governments from generation to
generation being composed of men who
cannot, in any sense of the word, be
described as democratic.
Let us consider the question Of the
financial relations between Great Brit
ain and Ireland little more in detail.
It is a subject of which we have not
heard the last, and as to which, for
once in her history, practically all Irish
parties, Tory and Home Rule, are
agreed upon, with the exception of a
small section of anti-Irish Orangemen,
who are not English and cannot be re-
garded as Irish. The government ap-
pointed a commission to inquire into
the matter. Half the members were
Tories; yet after years Of investigation
this commission has reported to the ef-
feet that, according to her means, Ire
land as compared with Great Britain.
is overtaxed to the extent Of e2,500,000
yearly. The Tories, however, in the
most infamous way refuse to recognize
the report of this commission, and in
order to shelve the question, that is, to
continue the robbery Of poverty -strick--
en- Ireland, they are appointing new
commission for the purpose of upsetting
the conclusions of the former one.
Irishmen all over the world will note
this latest instance Of the perfidy Of an
English government towards Ireland.
And they will wonder how, under such
circumstances, the Irish members in the
House Of Commons maintain so quiet
and docile an attitude. In the days Of
Mr.. Parnell English governments had
not much peace, and the Irish re2ped
corresponding benefits, Now, however.
the quietest section Of the house is that
inhabited by the Irish members. Hardly
a murmur Of discomfort proceeds from
them. The debate of this week was as
dull and decorous as anything imagina-
BILE. We take it, therefore, that the
Irish members are not taking Irish poll
tics very seriously at the present mo-
ment.
There is a most frightful waste in the
government Of Ireland. Through our
holding and managing the affairs Of
that country against the wishes Of its
people, we are obliged to have q per-
manent army Of occupation and mtff-
stary police force We are further obliged
TO bribe the omeiaf classes. The scan
dalous and tndeniable backsheesh paid
70 the Irish lawyers % Z. long standing
0hgrace. Butsit q done with j purpose