The Washington times., 1906-03-05
WHY IRELAND WAGES
WAR WITH ENGLAND
Emet Celebration Recalls Interesting Historical Facts
Regarding Irish Refusal to Regard Union With
Great Britain as Binding Pact

powers. their watchword being. Eng
lands difficulty is ireland's oppor1un-
ity."
But national sentiment and historic
pride cannot be said to constitute the
only or indeed the principal cause OF
this chronic Irish discomfort. There ara
practical reasons too With the masses
OF the English people IrtshInen have no
quarrel. They recognize the fact that
they are Oh the whole brave and
plucky race, and are not likely 10 sup
its existence. it is 10 the elasses-the
governing classes. the politicians, the
grafters-thaf Ireland owes a grudge
The disadvantage unoer which the peo-
pie Of Ireland were placed N conse-
Guence Of their refusal to adopt the re-
| formed religion and accept the English
sovereign z its head, have been grad
Gdlly removed. but their friends have
not been by any means obliteratsd. The
Class politicians of England sttn affect
70 look upon the mere Irish ar an m
bury once compared them 10 Hotter
tc's. II Is seldom that men Of this
stamp will take the trouble to inquire
lhtelligently and irpartially into the
aspirations they ignore
The barbar1tles OF the penal laws
which put price upon tfe head Of the
priest and the scnoolunaster-
when dogs We're taught alike to r1I-r
Upon the scent of wolf and friar,''
as Davis expresses it-these atrocities
! have passed away; but the descendants
| Of the men who were responsible for
them have not yet learned to rule bv
love. Within the last sixty years the
population Of Ireland has been reduced
by nearly O1e-half, while that OF Great
Britain has been vastly Increased. This
On the hypOt hssis Of mere sentiment.
Irish Industries which might help to
support q much larger population have
beeu swampeG in favor of their English
- Il Lae L. - /
commerce has declined; and millions %
| the most enterprising of Ter peopls
! have left her shores for America ana
other countries where there is a field
Robbed of Parliament.
In 1900 Ireland was robbed Of her par
lament BY bribery, The English govern
rnept having spent no less than sSOe0.-
0oo in buying the rotten or pocket
ooroughs to secure a majority of votes
for q union with the parliament OF Eng
/ land. The absentee landlords who
drained the country Of millions which
J they spent abroad contributed in no
small degree TO the Impoverished Of
! the country, and the support Of 2 most
/ OF officials at salaries out of all pro-
/ portion with the resources Of the COtul-
{ Try has aided materially in bringing
about the same result For example
1 -OA tE4c Lp-I4AAGl uuLS OF aClALE dA VICE
roy in q country smaller than Ne-v
/ York State, Ireland has TO pay an Eng
! lishman a salary exactly double that
| received by the President Of the United
! Statesl
Again, some gears ago. after a full
Investigation Of the financial rels4 ions
/ between Great Britain and Ireland by
| 4 parliamentary committee appointed
| for the purpose, it was decided that Ire
/ land has been paying socflt $15.C9g,0f0 per
annum above her prol lOrLlonate taxable
capacity and yet Eothing has been done
! 20 remedy this monstrous inequality
! In the face OF Sdmit ted facts such as
| these il l. Idle for the spokesman Of
English ascendancy to attribute the
/ chronic poverty Of the sister island TO
the 'CGssedness" and thTiftlessness of
| he~ people. II is but natural that under
| existing condition the people OF Ireland
/ decline - become 4 loyal and cOuteDted
! section o1 his Majesty's dorinions, and
/ that irish .'const 1tionai" agiUators in
parliament, and revolutionary spiT s
| without IL. continue 10 prove thorn in
| the side Of the predominant partner.
| NJ. DOWD.