The Irish standard., 1911-05-27

more in particular. as to what to put
in the place Of this rotten editice"
We want simply to get in Ireland
what has been given to twenty eight
different portions Of the Empire in one
shape or another, the plain, humdrun
power of managing our own affairs in
Ireland by Irishmen, who must in the
nature Of things understand them bet
ter than Welshmen, Scotchmen or
IEngishmen; and we say then that if
Imperial Parliament will have the su-
preme authority of stretching out it's
arm to interfere.
Prophecies About Ireland Anticipated.
Another argument used is that be-
cause the majority of the Irish people
are Catholics in religion that they are
not to be trusted. Now l do not think
that any Christian man of any creed
in this country can, without a certain
feeling of shame and consciousness of
coWardice get up and use such an ar
gument as that Where would your
Empire be today if that argument was
allowed to prevail? Do you remember
the history Of Quebec in Canada,
where the proportion of Catholics is
far larger than it is in Ireland today?
Quebec was in open rebellion against
England, and Lord Durham proposed
to settle the Canada-question by grant,
ing Home Rule, and instantly the cry
was raised: You dare not give Home
| Rule to Quebec because the over
whelming majority are Catholics and
+, the Protestant minority in Quebec
came forward, not the whole minority,
| but those who arrogatcd to themselves
the right of speaking for them, and
predicted the most terrible cOnse-
quences if Home Rule were given to
the province.
If you go back to the debates in
those days in the House of Commons
you would think you were reading Mr..
Balfour or Mr.. Chamberlain at the
present moment. All the prophecies
about Ireland were anticipated about
Quebec; they were tofd1t+'t those days
n that 1t would be esq to pass Home
J. Rule for a people the majority Of whom
were Catholics, because they would be
certain to oppress the Protestant min
ority. Well, Quebec was saved to the
Empire by the passage of Home Rule,
just as America was lost by the re-
fusal of Home Rule. What is the his
tory of Quebec ever since? A history
of absolute unity and peace amongst
all the creeds there.
Irish People Misunderstood.
Go, as have gone myself, and speak
to the Protestant minority there, and
they will tell you that they live in per-
feet unity, in freedom and equality with
the Catholic majority, and as it was
in Quebec so it will be in Ireland. II
England was willing to give a Gov
ernment to Catholic majority of
Frenchmen, why should she be afraid
to trust it to a Catholic majority Of
Irishmen? The truth Is the Irish peo-
pie on this question are much misun-
derstood. If you look back over the
history of the National movement you
will find that all through the centur-
les some Of the greatest and most
trusted leaders of Irish Catholics have
been Protestants in religion, and if
you go to Ireland today what do you
find? I will not speak about Ulster,
because in one portion of Ulster the
Protestants are so numerous that they
can protect themselves.
But go to the South and West of
Ireland, and there where you find the
Protestant minority something like
seven per cent Of the whole popula-
ton you will see in every county that
the most prosperous traders are Pro-
testants owing their prosperity entire-
ly to the custom of their Catholic fell
low countrymen. You find them oc-
cupying positions Of honor and cmolu-
ment You find many Of them men,
bers Of our Party and elected by en-
tirely Catholic constituencies, and
say without fear of contradiction that
all through the South and West Of
Ireland the Protestant minorities are
living in perfect good fellowship and
unity with their Catholic fellow coun-
trymen, and if Home Rule was con-
ceded, say there is no honor or re-
sponsibility in the power of the people
that they would not bestow upon their
Protestant fellow countrymen.
Catholics in Charge.
The entire religious ceremonial at