The Irish standard., 1900-04-21
SEVERAL AUDACIOUS MISSTATEMENTS
The Irish Will Yet Bless Her
Majesty's Name.
THE BENEFICENT RULB OF VICTORIA
The Kindly Acts Of Mrs. Victim
are Enumerated.

Some OF the most astounding and fall
lacious assertions about the admnistra-
ton OF English law in Ireland can be
found i'll the following article from "Ex-
Attache' which appeared in the Chica-
go Tribune OF last Sunday:
Queen Victoria's presence in Dublin,
the magnificent gallantry OF her Irish
soldiers in South Africa, and the en-
traordinary spectacle which has just
been presented in the house OF COM
mons by its leader, the first lord OF the
treasury, pleading cloquently in favor
of the imperial endowment OF a Roman
Catholic university for Ireland, the de-
feat OF this project being mainly due to
the opposition OF those English Liberals
who, during the closing years of Mr..
Gladstonc's public life, were the cl,anl-
pions OF the home rule doctrine, have
all contributed to bring once more
prominently before the public in every
part OF the civilized world what is
known as the Irish question. Within
the last two or three weeks have re-
ccivcd quite a large number OF letters
| IRON readers in various parts of the
United States asking for an unprcju-
diced and impartial explanation of
Erjr'c rt
mcnt, and OF the actual relations be-
tween Great Britain and Ireland. This
will cndeavor to do as briefly and as
lightly as possible.
Ireland III the year 1900 is treated in
ldcntically the same manner by the im-
pcrial government as England, Scot
land, and Wales, with this difference,
that owing to its unfortunate economic
conditon-a cruel legacy OF the past
1t receives far greater amount of
financial assistance from the imperial
treasury than any other portion OF the
immense British empire. There seems
10 be an impression, not only in Amer
ica, but likewise throughout continental
Europe, that Ireland is subjected to ex-
ccptional legislation and to exceptional
restrictions OF one kind or another; that
she does not enjoy the same treatment
as England, Scotland, and Wales. In
one word, that she is differentiated
against by the imperial government,
and denied those privileges that are ac-
| cnrIpI IN nflor r,ort;N,r <>f
Kingdom. This is mistake No diff
| ference is made to-day by the govern
mcnt between England and Ireland
The lrisl1man enjoys at the close of the
nineteenth century identicaly the same
civic and popular rights as the English
man or Scotchman. He is subjected to
! the same laws and to the same taxes.
| No obligation is imposed upon him
| which is not placed equally upon the
| shoulders Of his fcllow-c citizens on the
| other side of St. Georges Channel. In
fact, there is absolutely no distinction
whatsoever made between the English
man and the Irishman, except that the
latter, as in this country, seems in some
way or another to secure an undue pro-
portion of what may be described as the
spoils OF Office, since most Of the lucra-
tive and important government posts,
both at home and abroad, are held by
men who boast Hibcrnian birth and
have Milcsan blood in their veins.
1t was not always so. ireland in the
n
binary tyranny and was burdened with
imposts and economic restrictions that
did not extend to either Scotland or
England-in one word, was treated with
gross injustice and with cruelty. The
era of Queen Victoria, however, consti-
tutes one long record of legislation ell
acted by Liberals as we'll as Conserva-
tives, destined to repair these wrongs
OF former reigns. 1t is the Liberals
who, by disestablshing the Episcopal
church of ireland, relieved the Roman
Catholic masses from the obligations
OF paying tithes towards the mainte-
nance of a form Of worship from which
they dissented, and it is the Conserva-
tlves who a couple of years ago by
means of the so-called Irish land act,
endowed the Emerald Isle with the
same amount of county, municipal, and
parish. autonomy as is enjoyed in Eng
land, Scotland, and Wales, with this
exception, that for the present the con-
stabulary remains independent of the
local authorities and under the direction
OF the imperial government. But Lon
..sTiVsit6H