Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-10-22
WRITES ON THE
IRISH QUESTION
"A. j. Williams, Well Known Former
Resident of Allamakee and Life
Long Democrat Gives His
Views on the Irish
Question
IRELAND HELD IN g
SUBJECTION BY BRUTE FOi q
England Will Hold Her For Centur-
les To Unless Reform Comes
From Within, Which Looks
Probable

A. j. Williams, of Fargo, n. ID. a
former resident OF Allamakee county
writes his views on the Irish question
in the Allamakee Journal and has
the following to say on the subject:
noticed in the paper of Sept. 24th,
an article re-published from the
Clayton Co. Democrat, stating that
President Wilson is being censured
for his failure to recognize the Re-
public of Ireland, and the Clayton
Co. paper goes on to claim that Eng
land has the same right to recognize
the independence Of the Philippines
as we have to recognize the inse-
pendence of Ireland. Our Clayton
county friend should read up lit
tie on American and Irish history be-
fore he engages in discussing sub
ject which he evidently knows moth
ing about, or else he doesn't mean to
be fair in the matter. Ireland has
never been part of Great Britain,
but is being held in subjection b.
brute force for the last $50 years.
England will hold her for centuries
to come unless reform comes from
within, which looks quite probable at
this time, or else through outside
Interference.
Ireland pays to England in taxe5i
more money each year than it costs
to finance the three Scandinavian
countries and Holland and each of
the four mentioned governments
keep standing army, This is the
principal reason why England re-
fuses toNlisten to Irish independence
The Philippines will get their inde-
pendence when we get rid of this
bunch of pro-British rulers which
now infest the White House. If they
had the sanction of King George and
Lloyd George, they would certainly
be in line for independence ere this.
Nobody need worry about the Philip
pines getting the independence, as
when the time comes. which only will
he few years at the fartherest. Will
son has led the Democratic party to
its tomb, and the officiating clergy
men are those whose Democratic
senators who are now helping him to
put this so-called League of Nations
over, a League which simply would
give Great Britain control over the
world. 1t cannot be construed ether
wise regardless Of the fine phases OF
our grammatically trained president.
This statement is written by one who
has voted the Democratic ticket since
1887, when I cast my first vote, and
in all those years l have voted for
two Republicans only, who were
candidates for office in Allamakee
county. One of those lives in Allama-
kee at present, and the other, be-
lieve, at Kansas City.
I would ask our Clayton Co. friend
If he has ever read the address given
by George Washington in 1887, to
the Friendly Sons of st. Patrick at
Philadelphia when he stated that al
most half of his army that lad Fought
and won the Revolutionary war were
either Irish or Irish descent, where
the Presbyterian Irishman fought
side by side with his Catholic broth
who was well known to them both
I would also ask him If he has
read. of Franklin going to Ireland
during that same period al the re-
quest OF washington and returning
with over 100000 which the Irish
hastily collected from among peo-
ple who were in absolute poverty on
account of English oppression. |
would also refer him TO speech or
Lord Pitt in the British House OF.
Lords in 1887 when he stated y" that
body. "You have lost America
through your treatment or the irish
Tt would seem as though the Irish
had somewhat of hand in gaming
liberty for the American Colonies.
and now after all these pleasant
phrases which, we have listened to 10
the last two or more years about sell
determination and the freedom o,
small nations, no matter where they
were located. Ireland is not allowed.
TO egsn present her claim and the
one man whom we looked to ,tfoT
Justice was ready to take the pars
of the oppressor rather than take
the part OF a people who were such