Washington sentinel., 1900-09-01
BY their Fruits Ne Shall Know
Them"

BY their Fruits We Shall Know
Them"
Those who advocate the forcible
annexation Of the Philippines call
themselves eXpansionIsts and in
dignantly d eny that they are impe-
rialists. But it matters very little
what they call themselves. "By
their fruits We shall know them"
Great Britain is the most illustrious
example of imperialism, since inn
perialism destroyed the Roman
republic.
Judge Jeremiah S. Black, of
Pennsylvania, ex-Attorney Gen
eral Of the United States, and one
OF the ablest jurists ofthis country,
in speech in Baltimore in 1882,
said:
"For seven centuries Ireland has
worn the yoke OF political bond
age. During the most oi that time
she has not been permitted to
make any laws for the protection
OF her own people. Their affairs
are entirely directed by another
power. Such a government is
sure to be administered without
regard tor the rights or wishes Of
the people subject to it. Enemies
and strangers so fastened upon
community will certainly rule for
their own pleasure and profit. Any
person that does not know this to
be a great fundamental fact under,
lying the science OF government,
is not prepared to consider the
subject. As a consequence Ireland
is oppressed, insulted and stepped
in poverty to the very lips and
overwhelmed with affections. The
general notion is that England and
Ireland are united Kingdom. But
there is no real ur;on and there
never was There is a connection
made by force. They are pinned
together with bayonets. Ireland
is not governed according to the
common law OF England, but by
special legislation made for her
alone, Ireland is construed out
Of Magma Charta, the Bill oil Rights
and other great securities. The
British Government, which is a
limited monarchy at home, be-
comes an absolute despotism when
1t crosses the channel; and the ex
ercse OF this unbridled power has
been marked with the coarsest
cruelty and the most heartlesS op-
preston the world has ever wit
messed.
"If the Irish had been inferior to
the race which trampled them
down this would have been hard.
But intellectually and morally
they were greatly superior; their
civilization, science, general intel
hgence were much further The
deliberate and long continued at
tempt to darken the mind OF Ire
land and reduce her people as
much as possible TO ignorance is a
most shocking part Of the story.
Except in Ireland, all nations
are making progress. During forty
years the population OF other
countries have doubled and
trebled. But in Ireland the num-
bers have been reduced from nine
millions to FIVE, and of those who
survive, the great majority are
suffering and in want. What has
become OF the other four millions
and their ofspring1 Famine has
thinned them out; pestilence has
swept them away; persecution has
driven them abroad. What is the
cause Of these terrible calamlties?
All men with one voice charge
them upon that atrocious misgov-
ernment which blights and curses
them. The rulers Of a nation are
its keepers, responsible for its fate'
and these men have an awful ac-
count to render. For every false
drop in their veins an innocent life
has perished.
"BY their fruits ye shall know
them"