The Irish standard., 1910-01-15
power and pelf and Anglicized his
name for success in this world.

&AAAos~Ss~
name for success in this world.
ENGLISH FAIR PLAY A MYTH.
1t is safe to assert that in no country
on earth is freedom Of speech 20 high
ly estimated as in the United States.
Any man who has something to say
on politics, science and religion can hire
a hall and pour forth his ideas with
out fear of Interruption. In the Dom
nelly Washburn campaign of thirty
years ago in this city. the Sage of
Nininger stood on a chair in the open
air on Bridge Square. delivered one of
the most eloquent phillipics against his
opponent, and was listened to with
rapt attention by the friends of w. D.
Washburn. The hostile audience
believed in freedom of speech, accorded
it to the famous orator, and on election
day voted against him at the polls. In
no other country than America could
such debate as that between Abra-
ham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas
have taken place without ending in a
riot. "Take my coat while I stone
Stephen" exclaimed Lincoln, and the
vast crowd broke into applause instead
of breaking one another's heads with
brickbats and cobblestones.
Such thing could not happen in
London, the metropolis of the world,
during the present contest between the
commons and the lords. What is
known as English fair play" is a fig-
ment of the imagination. "Britons
never shall be slaves" but during the
excitement of an election contest they
go on the war path and commit acts Of
violence of which intelligent people
should be ashamed. The other night
in London they broke up Liberal
meeting, and the parliamentary candi-
date was Kissed from the platform
without being permitted to utter a
word on the issues Of the campaign.
And yet these people are governing
themselves and also governing others
against their consent.
The fact is that they are miseducat-
ed, politically and intellectually, and
have no regard for the opinions of
others in the affairs of church and
state. They are boisterous and dog
NAUTICAL. They are always right while
the rest of the world 10 always wrong.
They are contracted In their range of
vision and insular in their views.
Their boast of "fair play" is a myth
which has no foundation in fact. The
following London cablegram gives an
idea Of their federation for others
opinions:
"Sir VIM. Bull, M. p, when rudely
interrupted by a man while speaking
against the budget said: Shut up!
Or I'll come down and punch your
head Come on, We fat loafer,' howled
the man. Bull leaped forward. The
delighted crowd formed ring. The
workman smashed Bull on the nose.
Bull landed on the face. Workman
kicked Bull in the stomach. Crowd
yelled, fair play!' Bull landed right
and left to face. Workman went down
but came up fishting mad. Thus it
continued for half an hour until the
police interfered. The merry crowd,
numbering hundreds, bore Bull and his
antagonist away to the nearest ale
house. The fight was declared draw.
Such scenes are enacted daily, and the
campaign grows warm"
Had that exhibition Of rowdyisn &C.
Cured in Dublin or Cork, the news
would be flashed round the world az q
proof of the incapacity of the wild
Irish" to govern themselves in a
native parliament. Not single met
ropolitan newspaper in America pub
lished the item. We find it in a spec
ial cablegram to the Tacoma Daily
Tribune. No further comment Ia nec-
essary.