The Alaska citizen., 1913-03-17
lRElAND'S NATIONAL HOLIDAY.

IRELAND's NATIONAL HOLIDAY.
 Never during the past one hunared and twelve years have tho Irish people and their weil-wishcrs ali over the world had more cause Tor heartfelt rejoicing on the national holiday than they have today.
 Since lSoo. when the Irish were deprived of their native parlam. Ill D. corruption. perjury. force and fraud. there have been several re. hellions. famines and agitations. caused by British oppressive laws Now. however owing to the enlight. ening or the British democracy and British statesmen victory is in sight. Since the introduction of the home rule bill in the house ot commons nearly year ago everything in con nection with lreland-her loyalty. her religion her finances. her past and future have been. as il were. on the lissecting tahle-a sort of court ol conscience and everything was proved 10 he ill favor of the Irish demand The home rule bill passed the house of commons by the tremen- lous majority of In. but of course. IS was expected. il was defeated by the house of Lords the hereditary enemy of the Irish. The bill will be returned to the house of lords again in July and. even if defeated again it is bound to become law i'll May. l914. as the upper house can only defeat the bill twice under the new parliament act.
 During the discussions of the bill n the commons during the past year lhere were wild scenes caused by handful Of Orangemen in northeast Ulster backed h. some ignorant, Ill their arguments were exploded and they were hoisted on their own petard. and covered with ridioule
 How even Orange history repeats itself is shown in the following verses written by the poet Moore seventy years ago;
 To the people of England the Hum
 be Petition
 Iralapl'c Ii.-.nnc,Ia.n
 showing
 That sad. very sad is our rresen
 condition
 Our jobbins all gone, and our noble
 selves going;
 That forming one,seventh, within
 few fractions.
 Df Irelands seven millions Of hot
 heads and hearts.
 We hold il the basest Of all base
 transactions
 To keep us from murdering the othri
 six parts.
 That as to laws made for the good
 of the many.
 We humbly suggest there is nothing
 less true;
 As all human laws (and our own.
 more than any)
 Are made by and for particular
 few.
 Since the home rule bill was de feated by the house Of lords by-elec. ton was held in Derry city. which was considered a stronghold of Orangeism. and represented bs one of them. but to their utter consterna- tion a nationalist Presbyterian was returned-which cuts the last leg away from under Orange bigotry was hailed with delight by lovers of freedom all over the world but no where with greater delight thar in the United States-nearly every state in the union sent messages of con gratuiations to the Irish and British leaders This may be explained by the fact that when clouds lowered over the cause of the American peo pie Ireland was never merely fair weather friend to their cause, which is well shown in the words of an American poet:
 You now have royal beaus. aroon. Who flash about you late and soon Like stars about the summer moon. Outrivaled by your glory; But if the days when you were
 young.
 And sleuth hounds on your footsteps
 hung.
 And royal lovers gave item tongue. Twas then different story; But in those dark and bloody days Old Ireland rose beyond the seas And backed your throne-ursetting
 ways
 In the face of rack and prison, Strong arms. true harts and love
 galore, And cheered you from her sea peat
 shore. Till all your stars had risen
 However. all goes well with Ire land on this day of her national celebration.