The Irish standard., 1898-03-05

of reproach later that the state benefited
clergy caused such state Of affairs by
their Indifference and greed.
But it remains for American historians
to find the terms race and religion syn
onymous, and to advise an astonished
world that when an lrishman, French
man, Englishman, Dutchman or Walloon
adopts Professionalism as hi: religious
| faith he is at once transformed into that
hyphenated hybrid, otch-1rshman.
This is one of the marves of this in
vestigative age.
Before Prof. Fiske-for whose talent
and industry l have very great respect
gives us his promised views on the
Scotch-Iristmal in his forthcoming
work. "I'ile Du'ch and Quaker settlement
in America" let me PROFOUND question
or two to him.
If, as is pretended, a certain number
of Lowland Scotchmen of the Presbyter-
ian religion accomplished so much in III
ster and America, why have not the great
majority of the same people accomplish
ed as much in their own land and else
where, when all the conditions were in
their favor? And again, If so much was
accomplished by an Irish environment
and an Irish racial admlxture, and SO
little achieved by the pure Scot under
more favorable circumstances, is 1t not
a reasonable deduction that the Irish
element was the responsible factor in the
achievement? If not. why not?
That invader and invaded should hate
each other bitterly is not of any particu-
lar Importance as bearing on nationality;
1t is the experience of all lands and
races. Presbyterian Murphys and Nc
Manuse5 are no argument for Scotch
Murphys and McManuses; 1t may In
dictate intermarrage and change of re-
ligous faith; it can't Indicate change of
blood. The transformation of boys and
fens into gardens is merely a fairy story;
the hogs and fens are in Ulster today.
The fertile valleys Of Ulster ready to be
entered on was the bait to catch set
tiers; for the defeated and disheartened
native Irish had been driven to the bar
rem hills and boys. Men lis a luic don't
risk life and fortune for the privilege
OF transforming hogs to gardens in
hostile country; and moreover, Motley
says England and Scotland in that age
had the rudcst system of agriculture in
Europe. The higher system of agr1-
culture as we'll as the wooden and linen
industries came with the skilled cxiles
from Holland and France; and even as
great pluulercr as Wentworth was
wise enough to foster them and might
ask. why didn't these marvellous Scots
make their own country famous for
WOODEN and linen industries when they
made their own laws and could snap
their fingers at English jealousy?
Finally If these people were Scotch
Slightly hiberncizcd" why did they an
their arrival in America organize Irish
societies." Why did they name towns
and rivers with Irish names? Why did
they celebrate St. Patrick's day rather
| than St. Andrews?
1t will pay Prof Fiske to examine In
to the Irish emigration of the eighteenth
! century and learn. as less erudtc peo-
| pie have done, that as much of this
stream flowed from Limerick, Cork Wa
tcrford. Dublin and English Bristol as
/ from Ulster; and that L.einster and Mum
ster poured In nearly as many Irish to
| Colonial America as did the northern
/ provinces. What he is unwttingly do
Ing Is setting up the abhorrcnt dividing
/ lines Of religion and marking off our
race into "lrish-lriSh' and Scotch
| Irish upon the line OF Catholiclty and
Professionalism. |, as one OF the Protest
ant Irish most slrenuously object the
name Irish was good enough FOR my faith
! ers; their son is proud to wear it as
! they did; and we must all insist that the
Irish without pretixes, without hyphGns,
1 without any qualifications, all children
OF Il common and wcll-lovcd motherland,
| shall be given their full measure Of
credit for the splendid work done by the
race in America.
! If Prof. Fiskc is true to himself and
the principles and c.tnons of his calling,
he will find the truth and tell it, and
waste no valuable time chasing myths
and will-o the wisps