The Irish standard., 1907-06-29

with Catholics generally. They want a
denominational system of schools and
colleges. and they want to get rid of
the undenomnational system forced
upon the country by Abp. Whately and
the Wings. The only friends of that
system in Ireland are the Preshyter-
ians and some of the smaller religious
bodies. The Episcopalians, who are
the majority of the Protestants, all
ways denounced it as irreligious; and
in Ireland it is the Episcopalians who
are the advanced and emphatic Prot
estants, and the Orangemen generallr
adhere to that communion. So there
the Orange in disposing of the educa-
tional difficulty. There would be M
fighting on the line between Catholic
and Protestant.
This is but one of the many points
on which self-government would bring
to light unexpected agreements be-
t"SSi AioSSVo anu pal lleS HOW sup
posed to be irreconcila BILE. Within a
generation the old antagonisms would
be as completely forgotten as in Bel
gium, and the political parties of Ire
land would form on a new alignment
The natural instincts of conservatism
in certain classes of both creecls would
| hri,,rr tLc,,
character which probably would gov
ern the country for a long time. Mr..
Parnell hinted as much when he LAUGH
ingly told Michael Davitt that in a
governing Ireland Davitt would
find himself in Jail! With a peasant
proprietary. conservative Church
and the Celtic instinct for finding a.
leader, Ireland probably would rank
among the most conservative coun-
tries Of the civilized world If the
English Tories We're able to see beyond
the tips of their noses, they would not
! leave it to the Liberals to establish
/ Irish self government
The signs do not favor the expec-
tation that any large body of Irish
Protestants are going to continue their
opposition to the aspirations of their
countrymen. They are yielding to the
charm of national sentiment in con-
nection With the revival of the old
language and customs. The young
among them are resenting the notion
that they are unable to take care Of
! themselves i'll an independent Ireland,
and that they need the coddling of
British protectors to keep them from
being wiped out The agitation of the
| question of Irish industries cannot but
awake them to the fact that under
British rule their country is con-
demned to perpetual poverty. The
day for ruling Ireland by dividing he1
is almost over. Even this Devoution
bill, with all its timidities and ahsurd.
ties. is sign Of the times. as it origi-
mated with Irish Protestants as a
concession to national sentiment.
The British Liberals are contem-
plating an attack upon the House of
Lords, on the ground that the English
and Scotch people have a right to
control their affairs through their
chosen representatives, without the in
terposition of a veto from appointed
| legislators. Yet they offer Ireland a
| measure which is just as much a de-
nial of that principle as is the exist
ence Of the House of Lords. Even the
miserable grant of power made by the
Devolution bill. over the administra-
ton of Irish affairs. is checked and
| limited by the power conferred upon
members, who have less right than
have the British peers to legislate
for the country. 1t would be the crea :
ton Of a fresh anomaly. by party
which declares it will no longer en-
dure the older one. If the English
had the least tin.ture of logic thew
would see the absurdity of attempting
to apply opposing principles on the
two sides Of the Irish sea.