The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-11-10

JUDGE, long smothered out in Europe and even
in England, has continued in full flame. Protes
tants and Catholics not even live in the
same quarters of town. They will not speak on
the streets, and the roughs and toughs of each
faction embrace every possible opportunity to
throw bolts, nuts, rocks and ancient eggs at
members Of the hated opposite faction. Ulster
Catholics look upon Protestants as despots; Pro-
testants look upon Catholics as a degenerate
people,
Now it happens that Protestants outnumber
Catholics in this province at the rate of about
seven to three, and that almost all the stores
and factories in Protestant hands. But in
Ireland as whole, Catholics, of course, far
outnumber Protestants.
Belfast Orangemen argue from this that an
Irish parliament would be almost entirely Ca
tholic body, and would embrace every opportu-
nifty to give them the worst of the bargain. Re-
senting this kind of rule chershing such an ami
mostly as Americans long schooled in religious
tolerance can not even imagine, FISHERMEN, and
especially Belfast men, are determined to die
rather than submit to what they consider will
be Catholic domination.
That is one reason for listers threatened
revolt. Another lies in the fact that Belfast is
a typical modern industrial city with all its prob
lens and needs, while the rest of Ireland is
agrarian and provincial. representative par
lament would be composed very largely of I'M
schooled men from the country districts, where
even the necessares of life have almost been
uxuries, and would be tempted to use Belfasts
enormous wealth milk cow for the whole
ton. And stubborn, tight-fsted Belfasters are
in no humor to stand quietly still during the
milking process.
Hatred of Roman Catholics, resentment
against farmer control; these mixed and shaken,
have made Ulster drunk for rebellion have filled
the cellars of respectable Ulster merchants with
Maxims, rifles and cartridges, have led thous-
ands to sign solemn covenants, have persuaded
Belfast merchants to take out hundred million
dollars of insurance their property against
the possibilities of loss in war; and have led
British army officers to resign their posts in
order to take the field in command of Sir Ed
ward Carson's insurrectionists.
Thus far Ulstermen have worked out two al
tentative plans; one, to fight the British army,
the other to establish a provisional government
in Ulster.
One form a picture of that fight with
the British army! The idea is taking one and
would furnish material to the cartoonist!
But the provisional government would be
equally disastrous and equally quixotic. British
banks would withdraw Belfast loans, and Bel
fast banks would close their DOORS mail would
cease to arrive from England, Scotland or the
outside world, telephone and telegraph service,
by the government would instantly
cease; old-age pensions would not be paid, impe-
rial grants would be withdrawn, throwing the
entire burden of supporting public schools, hos
pitfalls, etc, on local persons, and Belfast would
lose the bulk of her extraordinary trade with
England In other words, Belfast, along with
the four rebelling counties Of Londonerry,
Downs, Antrim and Armagh, would be placed
under social and industrial quarantine.
On top of the utter fallacy of these proposed
moves is the fact that listers fears are almost
wholly groundless. Protestants scattered over
the rest of Ireland entertain no such fears of
Catholic despotism; and it is hardly possible that
Belfast would be Disseminated against uniustly
in taxes since all other Irish cities would have
to pay the same rate.
All this, may say, is a resume of press re-
ports and comments and may be taken at it's
face value. 1t is manfestly impossible for u.s.
placed as we are at such distance from the
the scene of the trouble, to see the situation in
all its various qualifying phases. We have no
part nor rights except those of the interested,
but impartial, bystander