New-York tribune., 1907-08-18
THAT 'R. [. c." STRIKE.
rbv IreIand's Fine COnstabulary is
PopuIar scith Al Glasses.

sa exclusively of Irishmen and founded
-, f,acfk in 1928 by the great Sir Robert Peel
. so-ce known as the Royal Irish Constabuiary
ss a., snest organization of the kind in the world.
- che strike Of those Of its members sta
- AZ Belfast fo- the special allowance due TO
-, ana fooishly withheld. on the ground or
- recfnics.lity. the men have the sympathy OF
,.sb friends and foes OF The government Although
~, ,o,s.abulary IS the only efectual bulwark OF
- .ns order the sole protection against mob rule
& , ,a-crv fo- some reason or another the gov
-,ant al any rate that portion thereon Whlcn
f.er Ireland seems 10 take positive pleas
" g. constantly involving itself In conflicts Win
- .o-ce on the subject Of money matters. and
-. --ssenr disaffection and strike is only one of
- - which have taken place, the last one hav-
= occurred IN August 1882, while in 1860 three
,,sa,d suddenly resigned and were only with
s.,ssr,,,ty Induced 10 remain
- cans+sbulary consists Of twelve thou
,,s mon. and while the minimum height is 5 feet
, So ,,ost of the men are six feet and over
-, .re recruited from all classes Of the popula-
- and serving IN the ranks are many men OF
80, and breeding. graduates OF The universities
T,,s--lz- q couple OF baronets Joined The officers
- s-eu-n from the same class as the officers OF
- army and are required 10 have g certain
,on-fsapa Of law Seventy per cent Of the men
s-, Catholics. but not even the most ardent Ma
s,s,orts+ among the clergy has ever attempted 80
,s,snce the constabulary politically Tor the
-e-q1- as everybody else in Ireland, recognize
-tsr the consIabulary stands between The forces
% anarchy and prosperity.
,-,a constable represents not this or that Chief
sar-e,arv not a Tory q Liberal government not
. Nationalist OF Orange faction, but merely law
e-5 o-der II he went. everything would go. and
-,co-sfnslv he is disliked- His duty is solely
e,s simply 20 protect the civil authorities, the
xAe-;N and his assistants. in enforcing law and
Ua-e-aliv 10 prevent rows And when there IS q
nv il IS curious how every class turns 10 him tn
-efivelv for protection Whether II is sherffs or
,,acted tenants. Orangemen or Catholics. or any
= ne rIval factions Of the Nationalist party. who
,a mining TO break another's heads. each fac
-o, looks 10 the constabulaTy to prevent its men,
sa-s' own heads from being broken. A district in
xoeco- may have 10 take his men 10 eviction on
monday ana be cursed and pelted with all the
reslth OF Irish phraseoogy and Irish missiles. On
Tuesday viii meet the people, whom he
Frcgs individually well as he knows their land
.a-as and they viii greet him with smiles and be
perfectly friendly. And It IS the same with the
rank and file They generally good terms
with those whom they protect with those
against whcrn they protect them. All factions COM
pe 10 honor the constabulary the loyalty OF which
10 the Crown has never wavered. and for which
there are always ten times many recruits as
-heTe are vacancies, the attraction being the en-
celleui paw the universal prestige and authority
enjoyed by the and the liberal pension