The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-04-04
ULSTER AND HOME RULE

lists are intransigeant and ineXorable
in their antagonism. Their monoton-
GUS and provoking answer to Liberal
concessions and offers of conciliation
is: We'll have no Home Rule;
We'll never submit to an Irish Parlia-
ment." What in the name of democ-
racy, in the name of fair play and
civil equality can be done with such
an element within the borders of a
nation? The inextinguishable demand
of the overwhelming majority of the
Irish people is, ever has been, and
ever will be, national self-govern-
ment, native Parliament with its re-
sponsible executive. The British
Parliament-the majority of theSelect-
ed representatives of the British Isles
lis willing, both in the interest of
Ireland and of the British Empire, to
yield to that demand Are the aspira-
tions of patriotic and progressive
people to be blasted by the bigotry
Of a latent minority?
Not Battle Between Catholics and
Protestants.
The real reason, though not the
professed one, for listers antagonism
is, not religion, but self-interest sus-
tanned and safeguarded by religious
bigotry and intolerance. This is not
wild assertion. 1t is a fact capable
of demonstration. Authentic statistics
make it clear as MONDAY that the
bigotry and intolerance of which we
hear so much, must be laid at the
door, not of the Catholic South, but
of the Protestant North. A standard
of comparison is supplied by the pub
lie Offices in the gift of the various
county councils. In the North where
Ulster Professionalism is supreme no
Catholic need apply. The public Off
cials appointed by the councils where
Orangeism holds sway are overwhelm-
ingly and out of all proportion Prot
estant; whereas those appointed by
the councils where Catholics rule are
more than their due proportion Prot
estant. One example (Which may be
multiplicity will suffice to illustrate
this fact. In County Antrim, where
the percentage of Catholics to Prot
estants is 26 to IA, the percentage of
Catholic to Protestant Office holders is
but 8 to 90; while in the County
Kerry, Catholics are to Protestants
in population 81 to 8, but in Offices
only 83 to II. This fact speaks hon.
orably for the broad federation of the
Kerry Catholics, but disgracefully for
the narrowness and bigotry of the
Antrim Protestants. Your readers
can then realize tho meaning of Ulster
antagonism to such democratic de-
velopment as Irish self-government
involves. For that implies equality
and the square deal. Hence, vested
interest, cherished ascendency, and
political privilege shrek because
their continued existence is threat
ened. But, thank God, the world is
advancing, and justice and freedom
and equality must triumph, and the
march of democratic government can
not be impeded by the shrieks of a
firmly intrenched and long-favored as
tendency. Let no man think that in
Ireland the battle is waged between
Protestants and Catholics. Not so,
but under the guise of religion and
behind the ramparts of sectarianism
a privileged class fights and dies hard
for the preservation of an old order
of things which meant special favors
for the few and injustice and oppres-
sion for the many. Protestants of
Great Britain and Ireland-and they
are the Liberal and enlightened ma
jority-on whom has dawned the full
significance of the situation, are the
most devoted advocates of the policy
to re-establish in Dublin a native Par
lament for the self-government Of the
Irish nation. And enlightened democ-
racy the world over will acclaim their
efforts, and bid them hearty God
speed.