The Irish standard., 1900-02-03

CT, Parnell and others, the. United
freshmen and tire young Ireland party,
composed of Brilliant, brave and ac-
complisfcd men. They say these op-
prcssions were in the past.1 Coercion
and oppressive measures OF government
have been exercised in our own day.
The trouble las always been that the
English people have never honestly
considered tile rights OF the, Irish peo-
pie. The English have, and do now,
regard the Irish as an inferior race.
and unworthy to be treated as equals;
as incapable of sclf-govcrnn1ent.
Some criticism has been. made of the
Clan-na-Gael and other kindred soci-
cites. The history OF Ireland is full
justification for the existence of these
societies. England would not permit
constitutional agitation. Do your cor
respondents recall how Parnell and his
,eutcnants were thrown into prison
wien they were pursuinga strictly con-
stitutional programme? In order to
reach the Irish your correspondents say
that Roberts and Kitchener are Irish.
lhey are Irish, simply by accident of
birth. They are not in touch or SYM
pathy with the people of Ireland They
are not 1rishmen like the men above
mentioned. II they were they would
not be in prominent places in the army,
no matter what their ability might be.
AS to the treatment OF the Irish peo-
pie in present years I desire to call your
correspondents special attention to
this: From 1857 to 1897 1000 600 peo-
pie OF ireland died from starvation;
100000 were evictcd and 1900 DOC,
were obliged to leave the Country on
account Of England's laws. Irishmer.
have assisted England in all OF her,
wars, and what has Ireland received in,
return? Nothing but the tightening of
the chains around the limbs OF her peo-
pie. While Irishmcn have in the past
assisted England in her troubles and
adveysty, they have not been permit
ted to share in her tniumphs ard her
glories
Rcparation is due from England to
ireland before any one could ask Irish
men or Americans OF Irish birth or de-
scent to sympathizc with England in
any struggle she might be engaged.
The wrongs that have been hcapcd on
ireland for years must be atoncd for by
England, and the redress must not be
dolcd out or grudgingly given after
long contest. 1t must come uriaslscd
upon the part OF the Irish people The
people Of ireland arc in the same spirit
today rs when Strongbow set foot on
Irish soil or when Wentworth was en-
gagged i'll his acts of cruelty. eng
lands difficulties arc Ircland's opportr-
mites is a motto that should not be
forgotten and strictly adhered to by the
fighting race" Irclands sons and de-
sccndants must never forget Eng1and's
injustice and oppression. Rcparaton
must be made for the long series OF OPP
pressivc measures that have been pass
ed by England; the destruction OF Ire
lands industries must be atoncd for;
the infamous system OF absentee land
lordism must be destroyed before Irish
men and their descendants can be ask
cd to be neutral in war in which Eng
land is engaged.
or your correspondents and all those
1risllmcn who are assisting England |
might say with MacMahon, the Port
land poet:
Misguided Irish fuslccrs,
Your sires in chains, your sons in tears
Why shed your blood to bind the free,
And ireland craving liberty?
Today, from out their silent stone,
Fitzgerald, Emmett and Wolfe Tone
Bcsccch you stay your MARTA! hand
Or strike for your own native land.
! All honor to the Irishmen and their
descendants at the present time engag-
cd in assisting the Beers in their strug-
gle for freedom They are made OF the
material which tyrants fear.