The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1901-10-18
MALTA'S GRIEVANCES.
eNcI 1874 SUBSTITUTED FOR ITALIAN
AS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE.
Complaints of the Maltese treated VIII"
Contempt by Secretary chamberlain
and Passed Over by
N,,,vas Seek Home Rule in Vain.

The island of Malta is at present
greatly angered at it's British govern
ors. The complaints Of the Maltese
have been treated with contempt ny
Mr.. Chamberlain, the secretary 1or
the colonies and have been passed over
by parliament. The case for the ma
tiyes has been put in the shape or a
pamphlet addressed ITO the Engllsn
Nation" which the London DAILY
Chronicle condenses, with extracts as
follows: It is pointed out that the
Maltese have been for a century unoer
British rule, and during all thls
period have given constant proofs OF
loyalty. They were always. and are
still. proud to belong to England, u
their contention is that they have al
ways claimed in vain those benents
which they considered should have &C
crued to them from this union. Inc
Maltese have so far claimed In valn
to have their home rule. They have
uselessly applied to the imperial gov
eminent, through a de~putation sent 10
London in 1909, with a view Of pro-
testing against the substitution OF the
English language for the Italian, and
Of obtaining the political freedom TO
administer their W government.
Their Just claims have been obstinate
ly rejected, and they are now grooming
under a military government always
severer and harsher. They have now
decided to make an appeal to the gen.
erous English people, hoping that
their moderate pretensions may be
taken up by the British parliament.
England has always been the school
Of freedom, and we are, therefore,
sure that our appeal to the generosity
. fthe English nation will not be in
vain"
The appeal claims that the decision
Of the people on the language question,
and on that Of the taxes, could not
have been more unanimously express
ed than in the meetings held on May 5
and June 2.
with reference to the language
question we beg to state that those
official members of the council of gov
eminent to whom the task is entrust-
ed of bringing about the substitution
Of the English for the Italian Ian
guage, have frequently misrepresent-
ed the bearings Of this subject; it is,
therefore, our duty frankly to declare
that no one is contrary to the teach
ing of the English language and to it's
diffusion in Malta. but that all NAL
tese are contrary to it's substitution
for Italian, are contrary to the exclu-
sion Of the latter from these islands.
This opposition of the Maltese, being
thus briefly and clearly defined, it's
justice is self-evident, and it becomes
quite ineligible that the Maltese are
asking for what they have a right, and
maintain what the government can
not deprive them Of without commit
ting an act Of the most odious vio-
lence."
Malta, it is commended, at it's self
cession to Great Britain, received the
most solemn promises from the King
that the rights of the Maltese would
always be protected. Among these
rights the Italian language is declared
to be included, and it's maintenance
In Its ancient position is absolutely
insisted upon. In regard to the state
mentthat the government desire for the
substitution Of English for Italian for
the benefit of the Maltese are well able
to judge of their own interests. It is
added:
With regard to the question of
taxes, there is little to say; the unani-
NOUS declarations of all classes Of the
population, especially Of the clergy
and OF the legal body, to the effect that
the Maltese are not in a position to nay
heavier taxes than they now do. is
quite an insurnountable objection to
the creation Of new taxes. Malta. nice
SO prosperous, is now reduced almost
to misery. To this reason another
may be added-and this is. that Sc
long as Malta is deprived of admin
lster1ng its own government, so far as
local affairs are concerned, the govern
ment has no right to appeal for fur.
Their taxes. We conclude by express
ing u hope that our just demands
for a better constitution and u most
energetic opposition to the substitution
of the English language for the
Italian and the creation Of new taxes
will find a deserved appreciation in
your sense of justice and humanity
New York Sun.