The Irish standard., 1915-01-23
GOVERNMENT VS.. RELIGION

GOVERNMENT vs.. RELIGION.
One OF the strangest arguments that
rave been advanced against home rule
for Ireland appears in McClure's
Magazine. This strange statement is
the basis of the argument.
1.-THE people of Ulster have good gov
eminent in their cities and are willing
to die rather than lose It," and that:
THE Ulster Professionals have achieved
better government than the Catholic
Irishmen of the South, and FISHERMEN
didn't want to take chance on the
inefficiency and possible jobbery they
felt would follow the Home Rule of
Ireland"
For bias and prejudice McClure's
takes the prize. A report from the of.
ficials of Dublin Castle make 1t plain
hat he local government act of 1898
shows that even though biased against
southern ireland the English appoint
ed officials at test to the good govern.
ment of all portions of Ireland. Even
on the basis of supposed prosperity,
he north of Ireland is not superior
to the south. Despite the claims of
Ulster, this boosted fallacy of Belfast
has long been proven false. The pros
perity which Belfast has enjoyed for
years is an artificial and dishonest
condition arising from the preference
'iven the Orange-men by the English
government. Analysed on basis of
'ortality. general prosperity, educa-
tional and general thrift, the claims of
Belfast and the north Of Ireland are
proven false. The figures upon which
these conclusions are based are taken
rom reports of the local government
board and are verified by the govern.
ment officials. Naturally enough the
dvertised prosperity of the north of
ireland Is lop.sided. This is due to
the fact that the largest shipbuilding
concern In the world is located in Bel.
'ast. Strangely enough, the president
of the firm is home ruler.
Pro-British organizations In this
country are doing unmeasured harm.
McClure's Magazine is no exception.
The attempts to divide ireland on a
religious basis Is miserable and un.
scrupulous and that any such argu-
ment should be advanced is unworthy
of consideration in the columns of such
magazine as that which McClure's is
purported to be. A day of reckoning
for pro-British sentiment is fast ap.
preaching. Mr.. Mcclure, on the day
of reckoning, will, no doubt, be among
those who will deny himself thrice.
SECULAR PRESS AND BIGoTRY.
A nationwide campaign was instl-
ted by Catholics last December, hav-
ing for its purpose the exclusion from
the mails Of certain disreputable pub
LEGATION whose entire business was to
attack the Catholic church in every
way. From various secular publica.
tions come expressions in favor Of q
law prohibiting the publication of such
journals, rather than depending upon
any pressure that can be brought to
bear upon the postmaster general. One
publication, 1.-THE Commercial Star:
of NATION, ILL.,, comes out openly In
its declaration against the use of the
mail being permitted to such publica-
tions. The following is taken from
The Commercial Star:
There are certain publications in
this country circulating in this and
other states that should be barred
from the mails by Uncle Sam. not SO
much because Of what they stand for
as they do not stand for anything, but
chiefly because they stand against
religious liberty, for which our fore
fathers came to this country and
helped to make it what 1t Is today.
There is a rotten little sheet pub.