The Irish standard., 1904-06-18
He Evidently Has Given Up His Theory
That the Irish Demand For Freedom
Was Due to Their Poverty.
If He is Right, There is Very Little HOPE
For Ireland, For it is Becoming
More Catholic Every Day.

Sir Horace Plunkctt is not so popu-
lar man in Ireland as was Horace
Plunkett. After the king inflicted
knightlood on him lie rose up Il smaller
man, says Seumas McNTanus.
People said that it as ONES of his
enemies that induced the king to
knight him. Let it have been unwit-
tingly or otherwise, it was Il truly un-
friendly act.
Then, too, it must be supposed that
II was a secret enemy who induced him
to write the book which he recently
published about Ireland. In this book
he handles the Catholic church and the
Catholic religion without gloves.
lie says that the impcdment which
hampers the Irish people and stays
their progress is their religion. This
is right bold statement to make, sure
ly, i'll Ireland. One might easily con-
ccire of his being klightcd for the
courage displayed here. Personally
] admire his daring. He has gone up
in my opinion therefor
His statement is amusingly errone-
GUS, but there is not any doubt of the
sincerity of belief that prompted it and
of the spirit that ncrved him to pen it,
He is the most heartily abused man in
Ireland to-day and is being kicked and
cuffrd around the land-cvcn by many
that were among his hcarticst ana best
supporters.
From polite point of view, the
book is Il big mistake on his part.
by his Irish Agricultural Organiza-
tion society Sir Horace Plunkett has
certainly done much practical good
during the past years. He has taught
the farmers in many parts of Ireland
the value of cooperation, ana he has
| enabled many of the farmers, and
| many Of the labOrers, too, to exist more
comfortably than they had done be-
| fore.
This in itself is crcditable to Punk
ctt, but in his plan this was only the
means to a political end. 1t was his
theory that the Irish national spirit
and demand for independence was only
stomach deep, and that If our people
| had their stOmachs well filled with po-
| tntOcS and bacon, and had good frieZe
coats on their backs, they would for
| get that mems souls would crave for
mems rights.
AS his ostcnsiblc object was good, he
| received hearty support throughout
the country. The people availcd them
selves of the practical benefits offered
and they smiled ut the design which
was hidden behind.
Sir Horace is discovering that the de-
mand for independence is soul deep
with the Irish people, and that pota-
toes and bacon are not quite so cffcc-
| tive as the lotus.
This is not the first, nor yet the
| twcnty-tirst, time that their religion
| has been blamed for the want Of
progress of the Irish people. And, in
deed when we come to think Of it, this
theory may he correct.
There was Il time when the people
of Ireland had the choice of an English
religion ana favor, or of their own and
perpetual persecution. In our way
ward Celtic fashion we chose the lat
| ter. Then every door Of advancement
was closed ana bOltcd and nailed up
against us.
There was price put upon the
head of the schoolmaster who dared go
| among them and keep alive with them
the light of knowledge for which they
had been famous over Europe; and a
price was put upon the head of the
priest who dared to bring them spirit
uaI light. Priest and schoOlmaster and
wolf were in those days hunted with
equal ardor, and families who are to-
day titled first enriched and establish
cd themselves in those days by har
vesting the heads of these three ami
mails.
When Cromwell and his train fell