The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-11-18
WHY THE IRISH HATE ENGLAND.

WHY THE IRISH HATE ENGLAND.
Many intelligent Americans who have
not studied the political relations be-
tween England and Ireland Tor the past
seven centuries and a quarter are at a
loss to understand why the Irish are dis
loyal to Great Britain in the hour OF
need and why they sympathize with the
Beers i'll the present war. When an
lrisll-American speaks out strongly
against England and expresses the hope
that the Transvaal will maintain its indie
pcndence and come through the war
triumpllantly, an American will be apt
TO accuse him OF inheriting prejudice
against England When an American
reads the London dispatch about the
Irish leaders being opposed to the en-
listmcnt OF the young men OF ireland
ior the South African war, he will be
likely to ask why the Irish cannot be
as loyal as the Scotch to the British
empire, OF which they are subjects. The
manifestation OF sympathy with the
Beers at mass meetings in Ireland is a
puzzle to the American who has been
led on British literature and taught to
believe that the British government is
engaged in carrying Christianity and
civilization into Africa and Asia along
will, dum-dum bullets and lyddite shells.
The unsopllisticated American OF Eng
lish descent finds it hard to comprehend
why the Irislman is so implacable in
his hostility to mother England and
thinks him a stupid fellow and very
malicious to say an unkind word OF the
great civlizcr OF mankind.
Now, we will tell the aforesaid Amer
lean in as few words as possible why
Trshmen ardently pray for the downfall
OF England, and hope to sing hosanna
OF praise over her defeat in the dark
continent. 1t is because during seven
long centuries England has been cruel
and rapacious in ireland and has gov
crncd the Irish people will, rod OF
iron. For nearly hundred years nine
tcnths OF the people OF Ireland were
trodden under foot by the other one
tenth, according to British law, and even
today the same minority rule the
majority and compel the British parlia-
mcnt to deny the right OF seli-govcrn-
ment to the native race. Every office OF
HONOR and pr,EG -, Tr,1,,,I :, E1I,J H.,
aliens and renegade natives. The Irish
people are compelled to submit to I'LL
just laws or cmigratc. Lord Salisbury
told them not long since that the alter
native for dissatisfied Irishmen was
"manaclcs or Manitoba The queens
viceroy is paid $1oo, COO year out OF the
peoples pockets, and when the people
demur they are dubbed, fined or I'M
prisoned. There have been 10000 red
coats and $1,000 bluecoats in ireland to
. maintain British claw and order" and
all at the expense OF the people. In
fifty years the population OF the country
has diminished e-half-something I'M
preccdcnted in the history OF prolific
race like the Irish. During the same
period the country has been afflicted
with iamincs and the only relief afforded
by the British government has been CO.
ercion acts and martial law. The people
have been prevented from holding pub
lie meetings to discuss their grievances
and their leaders have been transported
and imprisoned and hanged. No wrongs
have been rcdresscd from sense OF JUS
ticc, and England never grants what
ireland demands.
During the past half century ireland
has been overtaxcd. in violation OF the
act OF union, the enormous sum oil
$75o,ooo,o 900, and when royal commits.
sion reports such gigantic robbery
the British rulers continue their swind-
! ding operations and make no restit,l-
ton to the people they have plundered
The Catholic people OF ireland are de.
prived Of higher education in order that
the Protestant minority may have all the
lat offices in the gilt OF the government
The British officials in Ireland refuse tc
stand their equitable burden OF taxation
When a bill for the incorporation o.
suburban towns into the Dublin munich.
pality passes the house OF commons, ir
order to reach the non-taxpaying Of
ficials, the house OF lords lays it on the
shelf. In the face of all this, why should
the Irish people be loyal to England ir
her hour Of difficulty? If the Irish were
! governed like the English and Scotch