The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-05-26
BRUTAL, BUT FRANK.
BY (IOHN w. GOFF.O

been and is willing to accord large and
generous measures of government
and political autonomy to her colonies,
such as Canada and Australia, she de-
MES them to Ireland?
OF late years it appeared as if there
was an awakening sense of justice in
the English people. Some slight advance
has been made looking to the anchor
alton of the condition of the people.
The grand jury system in Ireland, for
instance, was until very recently an en-
CINE of terrible oppression. These bod
les were composed almost exclusively
of the landlord class; they had no SYM
pathieS with the people; on the contra
ry, they were in general antagonistiC
to them. They controlled the mainte-
nance of roads, the building of bridges,
the assessments for them in various
counties, and in other respects they
were in no sense of the people, as grand
juries are in England or as they are in
| America.
The recent county government act.
| however, has to some extent modified
| these conditions, and the people in the
respective counties and districts.
| through their local boards, have some
voice now in the questions of public
! works, taxation, charities and educa-
ton.
So far England has found no fault
| with the new system, and it may be
| safely assumed that if the people had
! shown themselves incompetent or I'M
| shown themselves incompetent or I'M
| been taken of such conditions to ex-
| plot to the world the fact that the Irish
people were incapable of governing
I themselves even in small things.
The country, unfortunately for the
cause of liberty, sent forth the leading
generals of Ensland's army and great
numbers of soldiers to destroy the two
nf a fri
Certainly the Irish soldiers have
shown courage and bravery, which
even if equalled, has not been surpassed
by either the English or the colonial
troops.
The English government has gone in
to spasms of joyful congratulation over
the loyalty of the colonies to the moth
er country. Could the coIonists have
done more for England than the Irish
soldiers? Have they not literally
speaking, been the head and front of
the English army in every hazardous
march or attack. and have they not
suffered greater loss than any other
men in the English army?
1 wish it were not so. It is a meas
ure cause of shame and not of pride.
1t is a shame that nation that has
suffered so much from English oppres-
sion should lend itself in the smallest
degree to aid their oppressors against
people struggling for liberty. as they
themselves have often done. But it is
in the aspect of the justice of England's
attitude toward them that the matter is
referred to.
Lord Salisbury's declaration is time
ly: 1t will be productive Of good.
True, 1T is brutal. but it is frank
1t destroys the fantastic conceits Of
men both in America and in Ireland
who have been talking about the golden
rule and the dove of peace and the
burial of memories of past grievances
and causes of dissension between Ire
land and England.
Lord Salisbury frankly tells these
men that Ireland has nothing to ex-
pect from England. And Ireland when
ever she has expected anything from
England, did not receive it until such
time as 1T became a question of political
advantage and substantial gain for
England to accede to the request.
1t would be idle to ignore the fact
that England, one of the greatest en-
plres in the world, with unlimited
wealth and power Unreasonable, has
the enormous advantage of being IN
just to Ireland with impunity
What can Ireland do?
To great extent depopulated with
out arms, armies, fleets of treasure, she
cannot in physical sense enter or
maintain a conflict; but she has II
political life very unpleasant and un-
happy.
With her people united, with the
genius of her sons. the perseverance
and indestructible fortitude which they
nave shown for centuries, the spread
Of education, their force of intellect and
an infexible purpose to delve and deIve
Tor the redress of their country's griev-
ances, will surely be productive of sub
stantial gain. Lord Salisbury deserves
thanks.
He has made public declaration Of
what has secretly been determined
upon. He has boldly stated what the
ess honest statesman would shrink
rom. He has not dealt in dupIicitv
out ne has dispelled an illusion that
vas beginning to cloud the understand
ng OF the well meaning but. as is pro-
zen by his words. misguided men.
1t is the bitterness and resentment
II the Irish people against the unjust
discrimination made against them bv
which have caused the unrest
-Ilu ulsturbance which have marred the
'eace and prosperity of the country.