Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-04-10
An Address by
Lindsay Crawford.
Editor the Statesman Toronto, Canada
Former President Independent Orange Lodges: of Ireland
Former Editor s'Ulster Guardian,'' Belfast
President Protestant Friendsyof Ireland @

The delegation of Ulster Protestant nionists in this
country fighting against recognition: OF the Republic Of Ire
land, have in their addresses endeavored. to show that Ire
land is happy under British rule, has prospered and could
not possibly be better off as an independent nation. One of
the delegation has declared in so many words that ireland
enjoys fair rights Of representation in the Imperial Parlia-
ment, seeing she sends los members to it." -
This is not true. The people Of ireland at the polls one
year ago voted into office rs parliamentary candidates
solemnly pledged to remain away from the Imperial Par
lament Of Great Britain and to establish a republican gov
eminent in ireland. The truth is that there are but 2S
representatives Of Irish constituencies (Unionists) sitting in
the Imperial Parliament who favor a continuation of the
union with Britain. Six others (Nationalists) are there de-
manding the right Of the Irish people to self determination,
the only disagreement between these six and the 70
straight out republicans being concerned with the method
of achieving s1reiand's freedom from British tyranny. The
IS republicans elected for the specific purpose of establish
ing an Independent government based on the will of the
Irish people represent the vast majority of the Irish people.
The returns Of the general election of December IA, 1918,
COMPLIED by British election officers, show that out Of a
total Of 1~,515,ss1 votes cast throughout ireland only $685.
Tia were registered in favor Of union with Britain; that
071,s46 were cast for the immediate establishment OF the
republic, and that 2s5. 2s we're for candidates standing on
a platform Of self determination. These figures show that
out of every three voters two voted for tho irish RenuhIc:
out of every sfye votes four voted for self determination,
and that only one voter in every five voted for English, rule.
Mo other country on earth can show such, unanimity on any
important question.
The human population of Ireland has dropped from ST.
1850 in 1s41 to T. 900, 900 in 1911.
They draw a line of demarkation as between the people
Of Ireland and the people Of ULSTER" saying the Ulster
people are a practical people and have devoted their ener~
giles not to political agitation. but to industry and COM
merce. Celtic ireland, outside the frontier, of Ulster, has
idled."
1t it be true that the people Of Ulster are more practical
and Industrious, and therefore more prosperous and happy,
than the rest of,the Irish people, why is it that the popuIa-
ton Of Ulster has fallen in even greater ratio than the
population of the other three provinces, to be exact, from
2.3S6,000 to $4,000, between the years of 1871 and 1911?
The attempt to make the people Of Ulster seem a people
separate and apart from the people of Leinster, Munster
and Connaught is the most unfair of all the false impress
giOn9 fOiSted by the Rritiah O. n63rts ,,non %ha uolo.
formed outside world. The delegation has blandly set out
to deceive Americans into believing that the people of
Ulster are united for British rule, whereas. the truth is that
the division. of parliamentary seats in Ulster itself, gives the
unionists a majority Of only two, the figures being, Union.
lists, 23:sinn Fein (Repubucan), 16, Nationalist (Self-De-
tcrmination), S. h5
The attempt't to have Americans believe Ulster the richest
province in ireland is. like the other endeavors at decep-
ton, based on a foundation Of untruth. The ratable value
OF Ulster per head of It's population, according to the last
British conducted census N(1s11) was 80 shilings. The
same authority gives the ratable values per head for the
people of Leinster at 80 shillings.
Ulster is as much a part of Ireland as the State Of Maine
Is part Of the United States, and the people Of Ulster are
French. They are historically opposed to British rule. and
the, very flag of the Irish republic was first unfurled by
the spot where the first solemn vow never to rest until the
people Of Ireland lived free and independently a s a nation
was taken by the forerunners Of the present Irish Republi-
cans; and 1t might be said that these progenitors of the
h struggle to- establish a Republic in ireland were not Catho-
lies but Protestants for the most part, a fact which even
MI, Cootes and his colleagues cannot deny. This delegation
insinuates that Ulster is a great industrial territory throb-
bling with: the machinery and myriad plants and factories,
while the rest of, ireland is devoted entirely to simple little
farms The fact is that agriculture Is the most important
industry Of Ulster, and that the weaving Of linen fabrics
comes second. Still another illusion shattered by facts Is
the assertion that Ulster is Homogeneous Protestant and
Unionist,san assertion upon which the Unionists now are
asking for 2 separate life for Ulster as a province. Of Ensr
land IN case the Irish Republic IL recognized by the govern.
e n1entso of the earth. Catholics compose 43,7 per cent OF the
total population Of Ulster, and no other single denonina-
Presbytcrians. Episcopalians comprise 2a.2 and Metho-
dists but 81 per cent. AS to the attitude Of the people Of