The Irish standard., 1900-04-07

ana fitzgerald, carved in relief: the
fourth panel being occupied by an i'll
scrptlon. Addresses were delivered on
the occasion by the Rev. p. f. Kava-
nagh, O. S. F., and Mr. John Dillon,
NJ. t. These and other gentlemen from
a distance were entertained to lunch
con by the Most Rev. DR.. Croke, arch
bishop of Cashel.
Notwithstanding the severity of the
weather during the past week, public
meetings to support and extend the
United Irish League have been held in
the four provinces. MIR. John O'Don-
nell. NJ. P, addressed meeting at
Loughgilly, County Armagh, on St.
Patrick's Day, and another at Carna-
ross, County Meath on the following
day. In both places he and those who
accompanied him were enthusiastically
received, and the League was firmly
planted. All Munster is astir in prepa-
| ration for its Provincial Conference of
| League delegates, to be held on April
2o next, to complete the organization
OF the province by the appointment of
provincial officers. A public meeting
will be held in connection with the
| Conference, and both assemblies will be
addressed by Mr. John Redmond and
MIR. William O'Brien. The occasion
will be one OF very great Importance,
not alone for Munster and the League,
| but for the National cause.
Anglo-Saxons are at present exhibit
! ing their funkcyism in manner SUI
| tlciently related to this country to be
recorded in these notes. Hitherto they
have always, whether in their own coun-
try or when they came here to batten
| upon us, affected supercilious contempt
for our claim to distinct nationhood,
and have regarded Our shamrock and
national flag as badges OF scdition, only
| tolerated by their magnanimity Queen
| Victoria, during the siXtytllrec years Of
| her reign, has shared all their vulgar
prcjudices and disiiIes. Irishmcn whom
misfortune drove into the English
army have been subjected to punish
ment and insult still more CALLING for
daring to wear that dirty weed" a
| shamrock, in their caps on St. Patrick S
Day Suddenly it is discovered that the
interests of the empire lie the other way
To promote those sordd interests the
lady who all her life sullenly refused
permission while it might have been an
act OF grace or human kindness, is got
to issue command, ii you please, to
Irislmen in the army to wear the dirty
weed" in future This is Characters
tically English and brutal but there is
more. AS result of the queens pre-
posterous command the whole Englo-
Saxon population OF the large cities Of
England have taken to wearing sham
rocks, apparently unconscious that they
would be less ridiculous had they taken
to wearing haltcrs; and the Irish flag
is hoisted on the Mansion House and
other public buildings in London. This
is sufficiently grotesque; but there is
more still. While the green flag is &C
tually floating over the Mansion House
in London, here in Ireland the Anglo
Scotch Local Government Board is
Furnishing the Westmeath County
Council for having dared to procure
and hoist similar flag at the expense
and with the consent, OF the county
over their own courthouse in the town
of Mullingar. Such are the British
methods OF governing ireland in actual
operation.
| Now, after most OF the county coun-
ellis of Ireland have awarded to an Off
cial in their service fifty pounds as am
pie remuneration for his trouble in
bring the Local Government Act into
operation, the Local Government Board
insists that each council must pay one
hundred pounds for that trivial service
Westmeath and Tipperary are the coun-
ties most recently vlctimized in this
way. Similarly the County Council OF
Kerry, alter having fixed the salaries OF
five deputy county surveyors at eighty
pounds each, is now ordered to pay
them one hundred and fifty pounds
each. Thus the advantage the people
Of Kerry derive from the Local Gov
ernment Board is the privilege OF pay
ing for this single small service three
hundred and fifty pounds year in ex-
cess OF its real value and in excess Of
the sum for which they can, if let alone,
obtain the same service from the same
officials These are merely current par
tcular illustrations of the general sys-
tenn OF British government in this coun-
try
! Occasional warnings come across the
! Atlantic against the rasllness which too
often impels large numbers of young
men and maidens, without compulsion
of circumstances, to leave Ireland as if
it were sinking ship. In former times
most Irish emigrants were left no
choice, but driven forth regardless OF
the fate that awaited them. This is the
case with some still; and some are en-
ticcd away by seductive promises; but