Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-02
THE IRISH QUESTION.

iTCldnQ 1tSttI0aS tihd ito-ss - Ns~@
title of book just published by the
Philadelphia North American. The au-
: thor is Hugh Sutherland. who visited
Ireland In 1902 and 1909. and studieo
the Irish question thoroughly. he
wrote n number of letters on that
question to the North American, ana
these are now issued in book form.
Two periods in Irish history are rec
ornized. One is the period OF the lano
problem, with all It's struggles ana
sufferings; the other Is the period OIL
the land problem solved. The
letters dealing with this part
set forth tho wonderful progress
made in seven years through the
substitution of tenant propretorship
for landlordisn. The Irish demand Tor
home rule is also discussed.
There Is still great deal OF iGnor-
ance in the world concerning the irish
question. For centuries a nation mas
been struggling for life and eNstehec
against overwhelming odds, In proao
dovIirht and yet very few have had
trouble. To many the irish question
has been a joke. A London clergyman
once said, as il speaking for Irishmen'
.'The sun rises twenty minutes carrier
in London than Dublin; Is that justice
70 ould ireland 2" and that, he would
have his hearers understand. WIS
about all there was to the Irish prop
lem. He added that tho only solution
was baptism by immersion H. no
said. "Ireland could be immersed for
only half an hour, all Its troubles
would be ended" This proved how
deep seated is the ignorance about tho
Emerald Isle, even In London Tho ei-
fort OF the North American TO state
the Irish question from an impartial
point of View, is very laudable. 1t
should awaken American interest In
the coming struggle Tor home rule, and
create sympathy for a people thlt
has given to this country SO largo
contingent of its best blood.
OF special interest is the religious
prosecutions that were brought 10
bear upon the people of Ireland not
more the two brief centuries ago. And
this persecution did not consist IN
torture or burning at the stake, but In
the enactment of legislation by which
the people were robbed OF their prop
crty and their rights. violence was
united to hypocrisy. perfdy TO corrup-
ton. and the highest honors and re-
wards were reserved for the apostate
and informer." In this respect his
tory has sadly repeated itself In the
anti-"Mormon" prosecutions of our
own day.
The laws passed against Ireland In
the beginning OF the eighteenth cen
tury, tolerated Catholic worship only
on sufferance. Public ceremonies and
pilgrimages were prohibited; bells and
crosses wcre interdicted. The ordl-
nation of any new clergyman was for
hidden, bishops and members OF relig-
ious orders were banlshed, and ''secu-
lar priests! could ofliclatc only If they
would take an oath which the church
forbade them to take. Every Paplst
was ordered to be an informcr against
his priest The Catholics were de-
prived of all political rights; they were
barred from obtaining any public em-
ploymcnt, and they could not hold
property. And this persecution was
not tho outburst of religious fanati-
clsm merely, but IL was inspired by
greed. ''Thc object of the penal laws,
even in the worst period, was much
less to produce Il change OF religion
than to secure property and power by
reducing to complete impotence those
who had formerly possessed them"
And the result was a stream OF en-
igratlon of the best elements among
the people. a drain which was never
TO cease.
1t Is difficult TO realize that a brave
nation has been subjected to such
indignities. after the Reformation. un-
der flag that stands for humanity
and freedom. but the facts speak for
themselves. 1t is still more difficult
to realize the situation created by
bisotry and greed in our own country,
at a much later day. even here In
Utah, But again, tho facts speak for
themselves.