The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-05
SHE SCORES ENGLAND.
Maud Come Makes Bitter Speech
to Vast Audience.

New York, Feb 5.-The Academy of
Music was crowded from pit to dome
Sunday night with men and women
who cheered Miss Maud Come, 1.-The
Irish Joan of Arc in her bitter denun-
citation of England's policy in South At
RIGA. Miss Come did not confine her re-
marks against the present war with the
Beers, but in no uncertain tones told
her hearers that now is the time for the
Irishmen to strike an effective blow
and throw off the shackles that have
bound them for more than 700 years.
'Englands difficulty is Ireland's OPP
portunity and if you are men having
the freedom of Ireland at heart now is
your time she declared. amid great
applause. The crowd cheered itself
hoarse. She said in part: "One of the
greatest crimes the world ever witness
ed is being perpetrated in South Africa
by England today. Actuated as she al
ways has been for the acquisition of
territory and a lust for gold, England,
the robber nation of the world, has
brought want, woe and deSOlatiOn to
the unOffending white races in South
Africa. The history of England is
long and shameless record of cruelty
and hypocrisy. I have studied her his
tory from the standpoint of an Irish
woman, and say that it matters not
what nation England is at war with,
right or wrong, it is Ireland's duty to
oppose, thwart and hinder her at every
step. America knows but too well the
lies and the calumnies that were cast
out against her by England when she
tried to make permanent her fooxhold
on American soil. Today she is your
vanquished tyrant
AT a meeting held in Dublin on De-
cember Is, last. and at which I was
present, l saw troops modified for the
purpose of subduing the people who had
gathered together in mass meeting to
denounce the policy of Chamberlain in
the South African republic. The auth
critics went so far even as to issue
circulars threatening to arrest those
who attended the meeting on charge
of sedition. Well, we spoke at the meet
ing all the same, and even went further
by carrying the flag Of the Transvaal
through the streets of Dublin up to the
very gates of Dublin castle.
Notwithstanding all this alleged act
of treason no arrest was made, because
1t was deemed best by the authorities
not to do anything that would eXasper-.
ate the Irish people at this critical
juncture in the history of England. To
keep silent on the question of England 5
invasion Of the Transvaal and the right
of the Beers is to incur moral reSpOnsi-
bility for the crime that she is trying
to carry out and accomplish.
I say it is only a coward that would
stand idly by and unmoved watch the
terrible crime. To the poor Beers it is a
stand by and see the invader drain
away the life of the country and see the
people destroyed as we Irish have been
I'VE know, you and 1 know, that the
Beers are right when they refuse to
permit their wealth to be drained away.
They say they will fight and conquer or
die In this war England has violated
all the rights of civilized warfare"
Speaking on the treatment of the
Boer sick and wounded. Miss Come
read lengthy extracts from letters sent
by English officers and soldiers at the
seat of war describing inhuman treat
ment melted out to the sick soldiers of
the Boer army that had fallen into
| their hands.