The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-02-05
IRELAND's FREEDOM FROM CRIME.

ERELAEO FREEGUM fROM CRlME.
We have repeatedly pointed cut in
there columns from official sources that
tho Irish people in their native home
stand pre-cmiE2,It in She scale of nor
ality. AS compared with other nations
the percentage CT illegtimacy in ireland
is exceedingly low. and the fame OF
Irish wCmen for purity is Worldwide.
The Protestant women of Ireland, like
their Catholic sisters, are good wives,
sisters and sweethelrts, and they rarely
figure in the divorce courts. In 1880.
according to the government census. Gnly
six divorces were granted in Ireland,
while in the city Of Minneapolis that
number is frequently granted in one
week. The fact that the Irish women
excel ill morality speaks we'll for tn
Irish men. If the Irish men were Of Il
licentiCus disposition ii would be almost
impossible for the Irish women to be
chaste and virtuous
In the matter of scbriety or freatc',
from intemrnrarcc the Irish in their ma.
tive land possess better record than
their neighhCrs. the English anu Scotch.
In Great Britain last year, according 10
the. registrar generals report, the per-
ccn5age cf persons convicted and sent 70
Prison represented l4.ot pgr l.nyD of the
population, and of the 1900 persons;
committed in Scotland IL per cent were,
fer OfenscS in connection with tho liquor
traffic. In Ireland the percentage was
1.22@ Per 600. The total number in Ira
land and the prcportion wegn much
smaller than in England and Scotland
The most prcjudi'el enemy OF % Irish
condition ct ireland to the intnmDcr-
anrc q. it,, inhabitants. That charge
WAS ably r.fUted by Hon Edward Blake
in ;hc house OF common, dlring the de-
tatc on the oEer-taxatiol Of ireland as
reported by the roya! commission.
The most striking testimony to Ire
lands freedom from ordinary crime
Gven in what arc comcmnIy called by her
British rulers. tho "distErbnl districts"
has just been bcrnc voluntarily by I.
j. Lloyd. formerly chief constable of
York. who was appointed about six
months ago, as stipcnliary magistrate
OF Cahirrivsen, County Kerry. Speaking
from the bGnl.l III" O:hsr day. a said:
II should like to cDl4fatu!atc the pub
lie and the police OF this district on the
fact that after four months Of constant
Attendance as resident magistrate in This
portion CT Ireland. comprising an area
Gf 1000 square mites. | have never yet
had before me A single complaint of
theft and rot one case OF criminal as
sault On women or children. Both these
classes CT cases a!e terribly common in
England. | say - as an Englishman,
whc"o have lived all my life until quite
recently. lhinl; it speaks volumes for
the people of southwest Kerry that they
should he 50 strictly upright and honest,
considering their great poverty and The.
hard times they now are so patiently cn-
during"
The London correspondent of the New
York World comments on the judicial
uttGranre CT Mr. Lloyd and declares that
"this remarkable statement merely
bears out lrclanh's reputation of brin;,
frccr from crime than any other country
in tho world except where political or
landlord oppression maddcns the people
int" making rcprisas"
The reputation of the Irish MS law-ab!-
ing people WIS borne testimony to by
Sir John Davis. attorney in Ire
land. in !, book he wrote on the state II
that country in 1920. Among other
things crsIitab!c to the inhabitants No
said: There is no nation under the
sun that doth love equal and inliffnr-
cnt Justice better than the Irish, or will
resi- better satisfied with the execution
thereof. although 1t he against them
selves. SO rs they may have the benefit
and protection of the law. whom upon
Just cause they do desire it," Ana agai..
he says that The Irish were ont of tho
protection of the laws. So that any Eng
lishmnn might opprrss. murder or spoil
them with imrunily.'
Times have improved somewhat since
then. but still the Irish are oppressed
and robbed by Englishmcn under the
sanction Of British law, and lrishmen
Who attempt to escape oppression and
spo!iaiiGn by overtllrowing the aieu
government in their land are sent 20
British bastilcs on The pcriured evidence
Of spies and inf0rmcrs.
Tho correspondent of the New YORK
paper does not hesitate to say that ire
land is frrar from crime than any other
country i'll the world, except where
political CT landlord oppression mad
dcns the people into making reprisas"
The wonder to us is that the Irish pao-
pie. who are the victims Of "politicll
and landlord oppression" do not wreall
vengeance on their prosecutors and make
Ireland too hot for them to reside there
permanently. Some years ago landlord
tyrants like I,crd Lcitrim and l.c Il
MC&.morri; were ,lshercd into eternity
by the cNasperatca tenants. Many fine
christians, condemned the pcasantry for