New-York tribune., 1909-12-28
TRUE WELFARE OF IRELAND.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In reply to Benedict Farrelrs letter
of the goth inst, 1 would like to advise
Mr. Farrell any other person, that be-
fore entering into a controversy 1T Is only
right and proper TO make himself ac-
quainted with every portion of the same
before attacking any one portion.
Mr.. Farrell wants TO know what type
of man Britsher' is" l would state that
I of Irish birth by Scotch and English
parents, therefore truly British; also that
l have had fair education in one of the
best Irish public schools. ranking with the
usual preparatory school in this country.
Now, If Mr. Farrell had read my first
letter he would have learned that l had
defended Ireland from the worst form of
libel and SANDER that any country can he
subjected to-that is that of the writing
and speaking of a certain body of men, cry
ing out about her Qreland's) poverty the
"tyrant government" which, in keeping GER
tain parts of troubled country in order.
lis walking roughshod over the rights of
the people," and. incidentally. preventing
the same body of men from exploiting
poor peasantry for their own ends.
If a certain Senator of pitchfork fame
should run over to the British Isles on the
Lusitania and there defame the United
States Government, and collect money to
free the Carolinas from the domination of
the Union, which prevented certain por-
ton of the population in those states from
making moonshine-about how long would
the Carolinas own that man as son, and
what would the other states in the Union
say about him?
Yet there are fifty times fifty Irishmen
% doing that very act with regard to
Ireland IN this country.
The firm OF Harlend & Wolf shipbuilders
of Belfast, with their payroll of 100000
week, has done and is doing more for the
good of Ireland than all the agitators from
O'Connell to Tim Healy. and, indeed.
it has well been said with regard to Lord
Pirrie, who is head OF the firm of Har
land & Wolff. that with a dozen captains
of Industry of the calibre of Lord Pirrie
in Ireland the poets tear would give place
to a perpetual smile in Erin's eye.
Mr. Farrell and others must consider
that the grievances of the common PEOPLE
In Ireland during the eighteenth and nine
teenth centuries were no greater than those
Of their brothers in England and Scotland.
That they slowly overcame bad laws
and forced new ones that We're good until
they reached true government 'of the peo-
PIE, ny tilc pccpic.
Ireland is not wealthy III the twentieth
century meaning of the word but she is
very far from poor. and l am sure that
were she ever so much poorer the self
respect Of her sons and daughters would
always keep most of them from begging.
Therefore. [ would say to YOU Americans
who give money to help free" Ireland that
you are really hurting her ten thousand
times more than you are aiding. and YOU
are keeping gang in power who live in
luxury by libelling and slandering the coun-
try oi their birtH and mine.
Ireland to-day is just as free as New
York or New Jersey, and fifty years as
prosperous as the last fifty will make her
very wealthy.
l as self-respecting British subject of
Irish citizenship would ask all Americans
to keep their money 20 settle their own
problems, as Ireland is quite able 10 at
tend to her troubles without your aid.
BRiTISHER
Middetowr. N Y, Dec. %. 1909.