The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-06
ENGLAND'S LAUNDERING
IRISH POLICY.
PeriIOus Conditions Produced nv I'm
beetle Efforts to Subdue the
National Spirit.
By Michael Davitt.

Copyright 1901. Cosmographic Co.
Dublin, March 2O.-If those who persist
in ruling Ireland contrary to its national
wish, and to the progressive injury of
almost all it's interests, ever indulge in
the reflective habit of dwelling on the
t-might-have-been, they must learn
some wisdom sometime from these remin-
iscent lessons of experience. They have
plumbers galore to recken, in all con-
science, in going over the bead-roll of
their stupid mistakes. Take, for instance
the comparatively small matter, for a
government, the wearing of the sham
rock. NO Irishman in the English army
would dare to pin this symbolical trefoil
upon his tunic previous to ST. Patrick's
Day, 1900. 1t would have been a grave
offense against the regulation idea of
British paramountcy in national en-
blems. To-day, there is a regimental
order in this same army ordering all
troops of Irish birth to honor the very
thing it was penal to recognize in the
same manner twenty-four months ago.
Another similar instance of English
governing imbecility is that of the popu-
lar national air 1.-The Wearing of the
Green" and its transition from the
category of a disloyal rebel tune to the
stage Of even royal recognition 1 re-
member when in 1867, no wandering min
strel or native band could play this fav-
orite Nationalist air in Dublin, Cork. or
Limerick, without the risk of police OBJ
lection. To-day, it is said, that the once
forbidden Irish anthem is in the musical
repertoire of England's royal palaces.
These facts do not make either the
shamrock or THE Wearing of the
Green" more honored with Irish Nation
alists. 1t is probably. the other way
about. But they are an illustration of
the bitterness of mind, the narrow spirit,
and the hopeless incapacity of the Eng
lish in attempting the impossible task of
subduing a national sentiment like ours
by means and methods so contrary to ev-
cry sound and rational principle of en-
lightened government.
Again, there is the fatuous and hide
bound bigotry of the English Coronation
Oath. Here there is a conservation from
a century of sectarian hatreds of truly
idiotic form of words. which could not
be improved upon in the studied character
of their offensive references to religious
worship had they been framed in some
anti-Catholic lunatic asylum. They are
simply barbarous, brutal and blasphe-
nous, from the Catholic point of view of
some twelve or fifteen millions of British
subjects who belong to the oldest faith
in Christiandom. But it pleases the Bal
tours, Chamberlains, and Salisburys of
this twentieth century of religious free.
dom to keep these expressions and senti-
ments of insulting ascendency as a legal
part of the ceremony of the royal success
sion to the British Throne. And with
what result? Happily, a helpful one to
the Irish cause, in this way:
1t has been a matter of keen anguish
and of bitter disgrace to our national
feeling to find so many Irish soldiers EN-
ployed by England in strangling the lih-
critics of two little republics in South
Africa. Possibly their hearts were not
men enlisted expressly for that ordious
campaign They were mostly enrolled be-
fore the war was purposely provoked by
Mr.. Chamberlain's diplomacy and they
were compelled under military law TO
proceed to the seat of operations. Their
presence there. in any case, was re-
proach to our warm sympathy for the re-
publican cause, and a sentimental cru
SADIE was set going against the further
enlistment OF men OF Celtic blood In the
army OF English aggression. And now
the insulting oath taken by King Edward
VII which declared that every Catholic
Is an idolator, comes AZ a most opportune
time. as a most effective anti-recruitlng
influence Ia ireland. just when the British
government is most anxious to entice
more IrEhmen into the British army.
There is, however. a graver lesson than
al this which the English ministry that
now finds itsof between the devil OF
South African war. and the deep sea OF
a possible ENHANCEMENT with Russia Ia
the Far East. could learn from the recent
history Of persistent British laundering
over Ireland. A. in the instances % the
shamrock the rebel tune" and the COR
ouation oath, the wisdom 81 the lesson
viii probably come TOO late,
IN lts5, NT. Joseph Chamberlain was