The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1919-03-15

plain that quite number of people
! may be found in the British Empire
who would enthusiastically vote to
have them both become central figures
at this most distressing ceremony.
We ourselves have lived for about
twenty-five years an active and rather
public life. We have interested our
selves in quite number of problems,
but never yet have we known one of
them anywhere to be solved with
unanimity.
A famous example comes to mind
the American Revolution. Even more
colonists opposed Washington than
there are today descendants of colon
lists in Ulster opposing Home Rule.
Yet the majority carried the day.
The opponents of that majority, of
1875 and Whereabouts, were remark
ably like unto the opinions of Irish
men who today call themselves Sim
Feiners; and the opinions of the mi
nOrity are still embalmed in corpse
called Tory, which does not yet know
of its own demise. Taking Sim Fein
as a generic name for something
which the world has come to honor
much, it covers many great ones with
its flag; for under it stand Washing
ton and Jefferson, Madison and
Franklin, Hancock and Carroll; with
such transatlantic relatives as Wink
lerid and Hofer, and even such
cousins" as Burke and Fox Amongst
the obstetrics" of our revolution,
none were more jealous than one
whose name is held in adherence
here, and in silent shame by English
men-Benedict Arnold
In democracy the first principle is
that OF majority rule. Only on one
issue is simple majority rule refused
the question of changing the funda-
mentals Of the constitution Then
and then only to give time for full
consideration, is a two-thirds vote re-
quired. The majority of the Irish peo-
pie have told the British government
time and time again what they want,
not only through the action of a ma
jority but through the sufficient ma
jority to even change a constitution
What more does Colonel Churchill
want? He answers that he wants
unanimity But reasonable man will
tell him that he is asking for some
thing that exists only in heaven.
Neither on the earth above, nor in the
water under the earth, can he find
such a thing.
I But why should he ask it partic,l-
larly of the Irish? 1t is not in the
Irish nature to want unanimity The
genius of the race is against it. That
why the Irish are SO keen and bright.
Attend any Irish meeting and see.
But, in spite of the fact that the Irish
are the last people in the world from
whom unanimity ought to be expected,
yet on this point of self-government
they are unanimous, that is, all who
are really Irish and not descendants of
imported Scotch and English. The
obstetrics" are not Irish, never were
Irish, and never can be Irish. Ulster
is inhabited by some Irish, but those
in Ulster who are against the national
aspiration are the descendants of
Cromwell's soldiers, whose wealth is
based on the theft of the land of the
Irish people.
Colonel Churchill wants the Irish to
practice patience" He asks every
one to pray that they will labor to
prepare a way by which they shall en-
able this settlement of the Irish prob
lem to be achieved, so that Ireland
will no longer remain the sick and all
ing child of the British Empire, but
will take her proud place with all
those great national forces which have
| been woven together to make up the
mighty empire which stands so high
! today" We wonder if Colonel Church
i'll could say that without laughing in
his sleeve. He informed his hearers
at Dundee that Ireland could have
whatever her people wanted. Now he
asks the same hearers to pray that
Ireland will not want something that
she cannot have. He wants Ireland
to remain a part of his mighty en-
pre-" But suppose Ireland does not
care to do so; what then? If she can
have what she wants, why intimate
that if she wants what England does
not approve of, she is not going to get
it? Was Colonel Churchill deceiving
his Dundee audience and, through it,
the world; or is he merely unable to
conceal an illogical proposition? Or
is he, with British complacency, try
ing to pull God over to his side by his
sanctimonius appeal for prayers? We
thought he had enough of the "Me
und Colt" business Must it he said