The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-05-12
GRAFTON THAT WON
FIRST IN CONTEST

FIRST IN CONTEST
In the Francis Memorial Oratorical
contest which was given week before
last there were seven contestants. The
address to which the six judges, three
on thought and composition and three
on delivery, gave first place is that
ON "The Completion Of Democracy"
This was written and prepared by
Marjorie O'Loughlin.
The curtain has been drawn aside
on scene from the drama of the life
of man. That scene brings to the
eager eye of the audience view
of the ancient world. of the nations IN
their childhood, the basis of our mod
ern civilization. The curious audience
narvels at the progress Of the human
race for those first scenes are hlleo
with all the horrors of continual war
fare and conflict, beset by bitter
hatred, jealousy, foul deceit and apso-
Int egoism. The last act is strangely
familiar and yet how different from
the others. Here, too, the war he!o
hovers over the nations but IN tnls
Gaze there is a powerful alliance OF
nations waging war against common
enemy Action is surmounted by no
barrier of color, creed, or race. Inc
aim is to crush that enemy and to give
tn everv people the right to RUE
themselves, The audience sees might,
the common enemy, overthrown Dut
in this act there is no division OF the
,sno;ls. apparently no further schemes
for warfare. Man demands league
If nations which will insure peace: to
both great and small. Surely man has
progressed. What resemblance mas
his modern world to that Of the old!
Alas! yes, one semblance remains MS, III
the form of beautiful, green 1siano
surrounded by the turbulent, ?lue
waters of the ocean. Traglcaily ~
lated, alone, ireland stands TO-DAY tne
only nation on earth, peopied Dy white
men and women, deprived OF 1reeuoHi.
Such is the drama. The curtain IS
quickly lowered for the on!ookefs are
not permitted to see the future. In
the light of the attitude OF the actors
in that last scene one lnstlnctlvely
asks, ION what grounds can natloa
be rightfully deprived OF freedom -:
What have the Irish done that they
should have that right taken ITO"
One of the first things to be con-
sidered in answering these questions
is that Of the will Of the people con-
corning self-government. That the ma
ioritv of the inhabitants OF that un-
fortunate island most ardently oeslre
their freedom is an accepted iact'
That there is no certain section OF re-
land whose people oppose repuDllc
is a fact so commonly accepted. Inc
ordinary onlooker believes that Gne
neonle of the, whole province OF VI
ster. which constitutes almost the en-
tire northern half of Ireland, raise a
nrotesting voice against self-deter
mutation and that Ulster is dehn-
;te1v bounded territory set over
aoa;nst the southern half OF Ireland
noi;t;callv. especially on the question
& self DISCRIMINATION. The results OF
the election of 1918 disprove any sucn
facts The issue of this election was
mt Clearly before >the people and
those Who voted republican realized
that thew were voting for Irish mde-
nandence. Statistics secured from tne
National Bureau of Information at
Washington show that only one coun,
w ;n he nroyince of Ulster elected
renresentatives entirely in favor OF
the English policy and that in the Whole
nrovince only ten Unionists were eject
I'd in contrast to fourteen Republicans
These results were secured IN Clster
the so-called stumbling block In t1e
nath of Irish freedom. In the Wnole
IF Ireland twenty-seven counties out
If thirtv-two polled majority TOT
ronuhiic and in twenty-four OF tnese
no entire vote was secured. In otner
words the votes of eighty per cent OF
+ha neonle expressed desire Tor tree-
don leaving a minority of twenty-per
cont who wished to maintain the union
nth England. These statistics are
~ Nv uast Importance for they prove
thot The Ulster which is pictured IN
~ American mind today is not the
Ulster Of reality since the NUMBER ~
that province who oppose 1reeoGM T.
less than the number who favor u:
cannot be denied that there Is IN IT,
land minority who are opposeu "
self determination but sucn q =, m1nv
itv in no way expresses the VIII Oh 'He
people Of Ireland. Neither ooes
express the desire OF the PeoP!e -
the northern half of Ireland: not yes
is It the expression OF the Will OF .ne
neonle Of Ulster. This commonly ac-
cepted barrier of Irish freedom Is
then but another case OF decldeo
minority endeavoring to Offset tne
nroeress Of the majority, Wherever
movement is being carried on tnere
one viii always find such minority
History has since time immemorlai Re,
heated that story. That Unionlst IN
Ireland today might well be compared
to the Tory of the American keVolu-
ton. Neither represented the ma
jority Of the people. =. 49,, ~,
! Advocates Of the union with Eng
land claim that Ireland should be sat
isfied with English rule since EnglanqHi /
with her long years Of experience ano
position 81 power in the world. has
& "a her hands to make the Irish more
prosperous and happy than they could
ever Sc under Irish rule. Il this state |
ment were true, ifrby English RUE
England could give to the lrlsh q
much as she has taken from them: the
I.;.E r,ns,ld still demand their Tree.