The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-02-19

posing Ireland to become the predom-
inant partner, and saying, I'm these fac
tories Of yours there is great demorali-
zation OF our people going on; they are
horrible places, and we must put tax
ON them, and on their owners, and on
everyone who works in thenl," would
not that hit England hard? She would
have to pay most Of the taxes. And
supposing that when she came to an
Irish minister to complain she were told,
that there was nothing to complain of,
because 1--WE are only administering the
same law in England as we have in our
own dear land," that is the very mock
cry of argument. Great Britain, In
treating us in this fashion, is trifling
with reason, and the day will come
when Nemesis will so follow her as to
make her pay for those false principles
which she is lying down. (Hear hear)
We have, therefore, our first principles
still holding the field. We are for the
purposes of imperial taxation in Ire
land to be considered as a separate en-
tity. The treaty is there; it is guile
consistent with the teaching of flnan-
ciers, and we must have the treaty
observed. Either break up the treaty
and give us back our parliament, or If
we are to be Unionists, then give us the
meaning of our treaty. l do not wish
to take up the time of the meeting see
ing that you have SO many flnanciers to
give you the benefit of their opinion
about the resolutions. But l would like
to say that Mr.. Childers, In his re-
port, made the following case-suppose
two men were to go and live together in
the one house, and have to pay the ex-
penses in the ratio Of one to seven, The
poor man pays his hundred pounds and
the rich man his seven hundred. If the
expenses Of the house were doubled,
while the poor man could still only pay
a hundred pounds, even though the
other pays fourteen hundred, does not
1t necessarily mean bankruptcy for the
poor man? That is the case of Ireland
We are 227a times poorer than England
We have been tackled on to her against
our will, by bribery and corruption, and
are simply being made bankrupt now
that we are Joined to her, and if there is
no remedy for that it is necessary either
to sever the partnership, or to stand by
the decision of the greatest fnanciers
who ever assembled on a royal commits
sion. We have been kept in slavery
and in poverty. Our people are going
from us. The hearts blood of the coun-
try is to be found in exile, and the exiles
will probably be heard from yet. Our
country is in wretched state, and I
am sorry to find such an eminent all
thority as Mr.. Lecky expressing the
views which he has done on this sub
ject. To Mr.. Lecky we owe deep debt
of gratitude for his great historical and
philosophical writings and for his fair
minded treatment of this financial ques-
tion, and for his liberal views upon the
subject of superior education in Ireland.
But cannot understand him when he
says that this excessive taxation Of
Ireland is not the cause of her PROSTATE
condition at the present day. 1t has
been abundantly proved that Ireland is
paying nearly three millions OF pounds
more than what she should pay every
year. Suppose we had that .hree mil
lions every year for working our mills
and draining cur land, and housing our
toilers, would we not be able to stop
the drain on our population and give
employment to our people at remuner-
ative work. Suppose England Was
paying what would be the counterpart
of our case, fifty or sixty millions more
than she was entitled to pay each year,
could she stand the strain? No, ;,nntlc-
men, we are shrewd enough in Ireland
to look for the cause of the great evils
we see around us. There can be little
doubt that this is the evil, great, I'M
just and abiding evil and that like the
canker, if it is not removed it will kill
us CuLli6Hl Fluully, i WCulu appeal 10
England in this year, whose last two
figures recall sad and bitter memories
to Irishmen, to bring us to better feel.
ings by cutting down this upas tree The
prestige of England, as we'll as her i'm
nerial interests, demands it. You have
all watched with concern the action of
Europe when lately there was question
for preventing men and women and
children, for religious and racial hatred,
from being ruthlessly maseacred by the
unspeakable Turk. Now, this concert,
as 1t was called, ended in worse than
failure. What will be the result of the
next concert If England enters it with
hands stained with the blood of Ireland?
Will not the follower of the pron.ct
point to an island in the melancholy
Western ocean whose children have
heen done to death, If not with the
club and the sword, at least with grind
ing taxation, SO that, while they people
every other land, they are few at home,
and these are perishing in want
"In land as bright as mothers
smile
T~;o