The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-07-23

ulustratlOn. Ouf irish annals do not go
back to the very earliest times, but
when they first present the Gael to our
notice they describe them in the pas
toral or second stage. This candid adj
mission is proof of the genuineness OF
Irish historical records. The Gauls and
the Germans We're in this stage when
the Romans first came in contact with
them, but the former were just emerg-
ing from it.
In the course of time Ireland passed
into the third, or agricultural stage
This was at least as long ago as The
time of st. Patrick. In this stage Ire
land continued all through the centllr-
les till about the time of the Tudor dy-
nasty in England Then in England
and ireland the commercial stage vas
reached, and both countries should hav"
evolved with equal steps if there had
been no interference with natural causes.
However, England steadily and rapidly
advanced, while alien rule is RESPONSE
BILE for lrelands progress being slower
and more difficult. Industrial manu-
features and foreign trade are always
incidents of the commercial stage. King
William promised Bristol to suppress
the Irish manufacture of wcolens From
that day onward, every Irish manufac-
ture was suppressed by law, by English
rivalry, or by dishonorable stratagems.
Irish commerce with other nations was
prohibited entirely. and her trade with
England Was hampered by excessive du-
ties. Manufactures. trade and civic self
government were denied to Ireland by
an alien parliament. and every effort
was made fer about two centuries to
prevent Ireland attaining the CONNER
cial stage Of civilizations; and when. with
superhuman efforts, she seemed like ~ to
emerge into it. British rule chat claims
to be benevolent. forced her back into
the stage of agriculture, and for Il CEN
fury and Il half it has been standing
rule of English policy to keep Ireland as
a drawfalm for England. aud to dis
courage commerce and manufactures.
After the great Victorian famine. lord
Carlisle, the lord lieutenant, went
through the country making speeches to
the effect that Ireland should raise less
crops and more cattle. That Was the
policy decided on. and vast cvictiOns
were carried out by the queen in aid of
1t. The evicted farmers were forced
either to emigrate or to settle on the
rocks and boys of the lands i'll adapted
for herding cattle. The landlords rented
their lands in large tracts, formed by
the consolidation of hundreds of farms,
to grazers And thus the country was
deliberately and by malice prepense,
forced back from the agricultural to
the pastoral stagea revcrson, as ii
were, to harbarism.
This is the indictment that we make
at the end of the century against Eng
lish alien rule. II is not beneicent. 1t
is not eXcrted for the betlerment OF the
subject. II is not in the line of progress
and civilization. But it is Il hellisil con-
spiracy to undo the divn" plan of hui
man evolution to make the population
of Ireland less to make III" people of
Ireland poorer and more dependent: to
establish a virtual serfdom instead OF
the freedom that all other European
peoples enjoy. and to facilitate ;he
meanest and vilest schemes for the rob-
berry of the people of Ireiand-loya AMI
disloyal-for the benefit of The English
cxchequer that the mind of Gppravtl
mon ever conceived.
England is the country that is trying
to pose before the world us le;l,lcr OF
civilization and humanity. In reality
the English people are Il nation OF
thieves and liars. They are hypocrites
to man. They are perJurars. treaty
breakers, false friends and ptrfdious
allies They murder. enslayc. rob anu
put on sanctimonious airs. And at no
characteristics more glarinslv pro-
nounced than in this Victorian era.
The question now arises for lrshmen,
are they willing to allow their nation to
he forced back into barbarism'
Are they willing that agriculture shall
be suppian,ed by embarrassing:
Are they determined TO destroy aud
break up the business, of grazing, and
restore the good lands to the farmers.
Are they ready to take an oath that
there shall be no more English made
famines in Irelandn
And are they ready TO dispense With
words and eloquent platitudes, and turn
to stern and strenuous deeds for re.
dress?
No redress. no amelioralion. will ever
be voluntarily given by England. 1t is
her settled policy to be just the oppo-
site. For centuries she has pursued the
policy of utterly running Ireland. Either
she will succeed. or Ireland must utterly
ruin her.
The claim of Cunningham Graham
that Dewey had Englishmen at the guns
in the hott1a Of Nopil, hoe ham ,tto