South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-04-03
BY sEUMAs MACMANUS.

Some clever fellow who at an exam
inatiOn was asked: What would
happen if the Atlantic ocean sudden
ly rose 500 feet" replied: 1T would
settle the Irish question
What is the Irish question?
a little more than 700 years ago
the English invaders of Ireland began
an attempted conquest, which they
are yet only in the middle of. When
the battle had ragged for about 500
years, England had succeeded in
quartering her soldiers in every strong
place i'm the land-and i'm imposing
her laws upon the Irish natiOn-but
she had not conquered Ireland.
though she has defeated her many
times
Even though Cromwell resolving 10
complete the conquest in which his
predecessors failed, swept the land
with fire and sword. and made the
streams run red with blood. and sold
10000 Irish rebels into slavery in the
West Indies. he. too. failed. When
Cromwell was securing the land. he
thought TO drive the irish people into
the mountain Businesses of Con-
naught. where they might StarVe-his
cry being. ITO hell or COnnaughtl"
But as an old COnnaught man said
to me: Cromwell gave us choice of
hell or Connaught. We chose Can
naught, and left hell TO himself"
Cromwell. and all or would-be
cOnquerors before and after him.
strove TO make ireland British by
planting their faithful British follow
ers upon all the fat lands. But in the
course of a couple of generations the
never English settlers coming in had
TO make bitter complaint 10 the Eng
III.
sors had become more Irish than the
Irish themselves"
There was "a parliament in ireland.
run for and by the nCn-lrish element.
and in 1882. when the available Eng
lish troops were abroad enjoying the
pTOlOngation of re American tea
party. these people. forming the Irish
volunteers. declared the independence
of lreland's parliament. And Eng
land, having no spare guns through
which To reason with them, gracious
" agreed.
Less than score of years later.
England having her troops at home
and leisure considered that an indie
pendent parliament was after all.
bad thing for ireland. So. in 1900,
Lord Castlereagh. with money. place
and title. persuaded the AnglO-Irish
members Of the Anglo-IriSh parlia-
ment that II they voted away Ire
lands independent parliament il
would 0e good thing good thing
FOR themselves.
That was the Act OF Union with
England-voted not by the Irish peo-
pie. but 10y the foreigners in ireland
and their descendants From that
day forward the English parliament
has been running lreland-and rob-
bling il.
The famous DR. Johnson in his day
adv ised Ireland do not Join with
Us. or We will pick your pocket. and
then cut your throat. and charge your
heirs for the coffin"
The Irish jarvey (iaunting-car
driver knew we'll that England had
not changed her methods as late as
last summer Driving through Coun-
" Donegal. an Englishman was ours
ing the vile Irish roads. Please.
sir. said the jarvey. 'be aisy on our
roads. We must keep them bal"
Why must YOU keep them bad? ?"
the Englishman asked in surprise
Because" said the jarvey. If they
were anyways middlin' good. the Eng
lish would stale them from US"
Isaac Butt. Donegal Presbyter-
ian. began a home rule movement in
1870. but il lacked virility till Par
nell arrived on the scene and took the
leadership in the late '70S lie set
the heather aflre i'm Ireland shook
Ireland and shook England. and in
very few years had Gladstone run
ming away from the coercion acts.
with which ne had fhourht a. kill