The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-04
COERCION IN IRELAND
w. BOURKE COCHRAN ON THE or
PRESTON OF A RESTLESS PEOPLE.
Speech i'm Which the Orator Advo-
Gated American Assistance in
Fighting Alleged Wrongs.

CHICAGO, June 3.-The meeting of the
Irish-Americans of Chicago at the Audito-
rum tonight to protest against the CO.
ercion laws in force in nine counties of
Ireland was perhaps the largest demonstra-
ton of it's kind ever held in the city.
w. Bourke Cochran was the principal
speaker, and when he began his address
about 5000 persons joined in the applause
that greeted him. Crowds thronged the
avenue outside, disappointed at being IN
able to gain admission.
Special Importance was attached to Mr..
Cockran's pronouncement, as he has only
recently returned from London, where he
conferred with John Redmond and other
leaders of the Irish movement. AS he is
a member of the executive committee of
the United Irish League of America. his
address, ii was understood, reflected the
views of prominent Irishmen both in this
country and at home, who, divided since
the death of Parnell, are again united in
an effort to secure legislative independence
for Ireland. Mr.. Cochran said in part:
Coercion as applied to the Irish people,
is the exclusion of that people from the
exercise and enjoyment of civilized govern
ment. 1t is the suspension of the ordinary
law and ii means the government of the
people by extraordinary law. The ordinary
law is the law that civilization has adopt
ed for the protection of life and property
and the encouragement of industry. Any
other law which civilization has rejected
is not conducive to these ends. The
object of civilized society mainly is to
compel men to settle their disputes by
peaceable methods. That is the distinction
between civilization and savagery. Saw
Ix--
civilization by arbitration. Now in Ireland
the government accuses an Irishman OF
some act which il may consider In oppo-
siton to or a criticism of public measures.
He is tried. not before any impartial court,
but before removable ACCOMPLISHMENTS
trates removable by the government itself
so the accuser and the judge practically
are appointed by the same forces. similarly
every other elementary law of human kind
has been denied the Irish.
THE Irish question is often said TO be
too difficult for the ordinary man to under
stand, but ii is the simplest question con-
ceivable. Ireland is the only country in
which the people own neither the land
upon nor control the government under
which they live. The Irish question arises
from the demand of the Irish to control
both their people and their land, while
the English government denies the right
and endeaVOrS to Stit1e the demand. 1t is
a dual question-alen ownership of the
land and alien ownership of the govern
ment; these are the Irish grievances. The
settlers have settled upon the soil of which
they had control, they have intermarried
with the people and from that intermar-
riage new governments were evolved, but
in Ireland the owners of the soil never
lived on ii and never saw il, but obtain
and retain ownership by sort of confis-
cation. This alone is enough to destroy
Irish property.
up to the middle of the seventeenth CEN
fury Ireland led the world in the shipping
and raising of cattle, horses and other
live stock and in wooden manufacture. Up
on ii, and in good time became more Irish
than the Irish themselves, but in William
the Thirds time the land was given over
to England and the English. The original
owners were allowed to come back and
settle on the lands, but only as tenants.
The result was to destroy their occupation
of exporting live stock and In due time
the only occupation left open for the Irish
was agriculture. This they pursued and
with only slight encouragement and under
improved the soil his rent was raised; If he
refused to pay rent he was evicted. Thus
il was in every other instance. The pros
perity of the Irish people has been stif1ed
by the unreasonable demands by England
and this policy they still are endeavoring to
pursue by coercion.
I'm a speech by Lord Salisbury, recent
ly, tribute is paid to the power of public
opinion II is the divine will that a nation
with influence and power shall exercise that
influence and power for the welfare of
mankind. If the American people in their
right shall rise up and say the Irish cause
is just, Ireland will be restored. As Ameri
cans we cannot but believe that Providence
has intended that the American people
shall be the instrument through which jus
tice shall be accomplished, that it's princi-
pies of right and justice may be acknowl-
edged throughout the whole world"