The sun., 1904-06-12

By biz Irish Agricultural Organization So
ciety Sir Horace PMnkett has certainly done
much practical good during the past years.
He hiss tau ght the farmers In many parts OF
ireland the value Of cooperation, and he
has enabled many Of the farmers. and many
OF tho laborers, too, to exist more com-
fortAbly than they had done before.
This Ia itself IL creditAble to Plunkett,
but in his plan this was only the means to
political end II was his theory that the
Irish national spirit and demand for inde-
pendence was only stomach deep, and that
n our people had their stomaohs we'll oiled
With potatoes and bacon, and had good
fr1eze ooats on their backs, they would
forest that mems souls would Grave for
men's nghts.
A. hta ostensible object waa good. he 10
osivsd hearty support throughout tho coun-
try. The people availed themselves Of the
practical benefits offered and they smiled
u ths design which was hidden behind.
sip Horace u discovering that the de-
mand for Independence is soul deep with the
Irish psople, and that potatoes and bacoa
srs net quite - effective - the lstan.
This = not the hrst, nor yet the twenty.
Arst, time that their religion has bean
blamed for the want Of progress Of the
Irish people, And. indeed. when We oorne
- think Of It. this theory may be correct.
Thsrs was . time when the people Of
Ireland had the choice Of an English re-
lision and favor, or Of their own and per-
peeusl pssseoutadh. In our wayward Celtio
fashion we chose the latter. Then every
deor Of advanosment was closed and bolted
and nailed up against u.
Ihsee was . price put upon tho head'of
tie soAoolmoster who dared 60 among
them and keep alive with them tho light Of
knowlsdgs for which they had been ia
nous over Europe: and . price Wa put
upon the head Of the priest who dared 20
bring them spiritual light. Priest and school,
master and wolf were In those days hunted
with equal ardor. and families who are
to-day titled first enriched and estab-
lished themselves In those days BY harvest
ing tho heads Of these thrse animals.
When Cromwell and hiSStrain fell upon
Ireland and swept It, . blighting blast.
TO those who still persisted In prefering
the old religion and poverty he gave choice
Of .Hell or Connaught.'
we ohose Connaught.' their descend
ants say. and left hell to himself
Pity the devilsi
Apropos OF this, 1t may be interesting to
state that tho educational returns OF the
last half century show that Catholic Leins-
ter and Catholic Munster have progressed
intellectually at . far greater rate than
has Protestant Ulster. In Ulster, like
wise. II 10 . we'll known fact that while the
Protestant merchants and farmers arc
deoaying and disappearing, the unprogres-
sive Catholic Celts are springing up from
poverty end stepping into their shoes.
The once very Protestant city Of Derry.
for instance. contains to-day moro Catho-
lios than Protestauts, and in most Of the
Other, towns the ratio Of Catholics to Prot
sstants = altsring yearly in favor Of the
former.
Csa. sss,ndsrson, CHIEF Orange representa-
tivs Tor Ulstsr In the British Parliament
and doushtiest warrior that never melt
gunpoWysr, has been proclaiming to the
world anent ths Home Rule question that
no one outside . Mnatio asylum would
desire 10 be governed by the Natlonalists
a Ireland. -
Tho Colonel. Notwithstanding the Blood
sod-thundsr spesches that he y noted for,
= not dlSaiked BY. his National fellow mem
bera He fufniShes q deal Of amusement to
thsan and to tho British Parliament gen-
sr,Ily. eomeuma tho House Of Com
moos would bs duh place but for the
Co,oosl and others Of his oonfreres, who.
like him, fuYniGh fun for It.
I do not remember whether II was tho
Colonel Or William johnson Of Ballykilbeg-
the most amiable old bigot that Ulster ever
sent 70, Parllament-who at the time Of
N. -s.&~.>>s. 9,s,1s. R,,lo hill doolarod that
.hr.,ki ths bill become law the loyal Orange
msn q Ulster would that a d.y take the the field
6e-.-nmsnt N Ensl.nd. .the Bible and
h.nn 49, In one hand. and q niusket In
~. nth.,. ..-. -,>
A. The passins Of the bill for the disestab-