The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-07-22
REWARD1NG A MILITARY BUTCHER.

Major General Sir Herbert Horace
Kitchener is the Anglo-Irishman who
recently was awarded parliamentary
grant from the British government for
avenging the death of Chinese Gordon
in the Soudan. For moving down the
Dervishes and their brave followers
with rapid-fring Maxim guns and dunn
dunn bullets, and then mutilating the en-
tombed body of the Mahdi in horrible
manner, this military brute, who was
accidentally born in Ireland, was given
$4,000 out of the pockets of the tax
payers of the United Kingdom in
recognition of his successful campaign
in Africa. That is the way in. which
the inhuman butchery Of semi-civilized
people is always rewarded in England
by the Norman robbers who rule the
country. Reynolds Newspaper, the
fearless organ OF the British democracy,
has the following to say on the matter:
The debate and division on the ques-
ton of Kitchener's grant of 100000 are
no credit to discreditable parliament
1t would be difficult to conceive of a
worse or more vulgar taste than that
afforded by Kitchener himself in going
to the house after, as is generally stated,
spending time with Mr.. Balfour in
coaching" him on the subject. One
does not argue with man who does
that kind of thing. One merely votes
him down as vulgar, aggressive per
son and passes on. Kitchener's pres
ence was discredit number one; the sec
ond and more serious discredit was the
general Tory attitude toward the sub
ject of the dissertation of the Mahdi's
tomb. "Your soldiers" said Mr.. Nor
ley, in a warning voice Ego to civilize
savages; take care that the savages do
not brutalize your soldiers" Students
of history know that that was one of
the leading causes of Roman decline.
But it is not only question of soldiers
being demoralized, gentlemen of Eng
land'' are demoralized also. Weary
Gibbs, of the Stock Exchange (where
moral feeling is not delicate), said that
he was delighted that the head of a
"bloodthirsty ruffian' was treated as it
was by Kitchener. But the Mahdi was
not bloodthirsty ruf6an; he began, at
least, as stern Puritanic reformer of
Moslemism who was anxious to de-
liver the Soudan from the corrupt, cruel
and tyrannical rule OF Egypt. In the
second place, even if he were what vi
cary Gibbs falsely said, is it for us to
initiate the worst conduct of savage
tribe? Col. Saunderson is the buffoon
of the house whom, perhaps, we should
not take seriously; but his remark as to
the amusement he would feel if Mr..
Dillon's head dropped from his Shout
ders was either very stupid or very
wicked. We will charitably assume
that it was only stupid; but think of
the impression made by such idiocy on
intelligent foreigners who read the re-
ports OF the British parliament Tolstoi
has said that the English are naturally
the most brutal Of all civilized nations.
Saunderson's buffoonery will confirm
that impression.
: 1t is quite true-and we ourselves adj
n.itted it at the time-that, from
purely military point OF view, sKitch-
eners expedition was we'll planned and
wonderfully successful, and we should
like, though disappearing altogether of
Soudan conquests, to- reaf6rmi that