THE HESPERIAN.
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Cleveland received only 96,000 plurality, yet in spite of
this crushing defeat the democratic party seems to have con
siilerablc vitality. The manufacturing state of Rhode Island
has elected as governor a Cobdcu club, Mills bill, British
gold free trader, while the great commercial city of Chicago
has gone democratic by 7,500 majority. The news of these
confederate victories caused six strikes in Pennsylvania and
sundry lockouts in Ohio.
French politics arc in the usual unsettled condition.
Steps have been taken to impeach Doulangcr and his political
associates for planning to overthrow the republic. Unwilling
to stand a trial the general has lied to Belgium, leaving his
supporters to fight their own battles. lie claims that he is
being persecuted by the enemies of popular liberty, and has
appealed to the people for aid. No one can tell what the
end will be, but a revolution is no timpossible. The people
of France are discontented. The republic has not given,
them the expected relief from the burdens of taxation. This
discontent is the source of Boulangcr's strength. If it is
strong enough he may be able to overthrow the present
government.
tionists admit that in this state their future looks decidedly
blue. The outlook in other states is no brighter. New
Hampshire has just declared against prohibition by a major
ity vote. The prospect in Pennsylvania is bright for license.
To one who believes that both sides arc wrong, that the
solution of the liquor question, as of all social questions, will
be found in liberty and not in restriction, this is pleasant. It
is pleasant news, because license, high or low, is so clearly
wrong that it can be easily overthrown, but prohibition being
more logical would fight a harder battle.
There is an epidemic of strikes throughout the eastern
states. Almost every newspaper has columns oi strike news,
with here and there the account of a lockout to vary the
monotony. If Cleveland had been elected it would not be
difficult to explain this business depression. But Harrison is
president and Blaine is his chief adviser. It is rumored that
the strikers arc trying to prevent a cut in wages, but this
must be a mistake. It cannot be possible that any employer
would be unpatriotic enough to desire to lower the wages of
an American workingmau, and even if the employers could
lose their love of country our protection president still enjoys
good health. It must be that some emissary of the
Cobden club is hiring the men to quit work in order that the
new administration may be embarrassed. The strikers
should be ashamed of having been so easily entrapped.
No legislative body has been able to outwit natural law.
The New York legislature is no exception to this rule. It
seems to have no influence with the power that governs the
universe. This legislature thought that much harm was
being done by convict labor. This opinion took the form of
a law that provided that the prisoners should be kept in
idleness. Nature, instead of acknowledging the importance
of the New York statesmen, obeyed the more ancient com
mand: "In the sweat of thy face thou shalt cat bread." Of
the fifteen hundred convicts over one-fifth suffer from insmo
unia, and a large number have become insane. When the
new order of things was first established the prisoners were
elated at the prospect of a perpetual holiday, but they soon
changed their views and begged to be again set at work. It
is a peculiar state of affairs when society refuses to allow
men to produce those things for want of which many suffer
and some die.
"HOME RULE FOR IRELAND."
A. V. HOUSE, DOANE COLLEGE.
The high license men lmve won the first skirmish. Of
forty Nebraska towns that have held spring elections, but six
have declared tor prohibition., and but two have been won
from the license policy. Six of the thirty-four license towns
have heretofore voted prohibition. In politics a year and a
half is a long time, and there may.be a great change in public
sentiment before the deciding contest, but if the election
wero to be held within the next three months the state would
undoubtedly declare for license. Even as it is, the prohibi-
Thc following oration will represent Nebraska at the inter,
state oratorical contest at Grinncll, Iowa, May 2:
"A few miles west of England, washed by the Irish sea
and the Atlantic, lies Ireland, 'the lovely land of sorrow.'
Running streams and sparkling lakes diversify her scenery.
Wild monntains.and enchanting valleys, in portions, charm
the view. The native richness of her soil is such that 35,000,
000 inhabitants might find sustenance within her borders.
For hundreds of years her primitive people listened, untram
melled, to the rush of waves upon the shores of their island'
home and sung the song of freemen. They, were of one
character, one blood. Man could not destroy their nation
ality. God gave them the right to preserve it. Here then,
we should expect to find today a, happy country, with a peo
ple rejoicing in the blessings of their cherished home and
challenging the world for a fairer picture of prosperity.
But we find it not. We see, instead of abundance, desola
tion; instead of peace, strife; instead of hope, despair: instead
ofliberty, slavery.
What has thus perverted the forces which should have
made Ireland a blooming garden and a paradise of joy? Her
freedom, the birthright of her people, has been destroyed by
alien hands; her rich fields have been made to yield up their
treasure to be hoarded in the coffers of a foreign land. Can
a free nation be rightfully subjugated and held in thraldom
by a foreign power? Let the American spirit answer.
But Ireland has not always been without champions of
her right to freedom. Almost an even century ago Henry
Gratton struck a telling blow for Irish nationality and inde
pendence. He demanded for his native land freedom from
the aggressions of a foreign king, and supported by eighty
thousand flashing bayonets, pressed home his demand
upon the hardened sensibilities of John Bull. A home parli
ament was granted. The life currents of national feeling
quickened in Irish veins. But all too soon the hand of 'the
spoiler was raised. An act of legislative union with the
imperial body was passed. But how was this brought about?
The stern facts of history cannot be confuted. William E.
Gladstone says the act was accomplished by 'wholesale brib
ery and unblushing intimidation.' Thirteen million dollars
spent in buying rotlcn boroughs and in corrupting legislators!
A hundred thousand soldiers drawn up on Irish soil to enforce
a union with England! To add to the outrage, a venal legis
lature voting away the sacied rights of the people, who have
petitioned, seven hundred to one, against this union! Can
Great Britain justly base her claims today on an act consum
mated by such means? The British people, in common with
the world, stand righteously aghast at the dismemberment of
Poland. Yet they take absolute possession of a country that
is of right as independent of British law as the very winds of
heaven. Ireland has not forfeited the charter to her inde-