The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-05-14
PATRIOTISM THEORETICAL VERSUS
PRA CTICAL.

On rea ling the accounts of the st. Patrick's
Day celebrations all over the United States, one
would be led to suppose that the spirit of ma
tionality and true brotherhood existed amongst
the Irish American population in remarkable
degree. Just for the day patriotism of the
most ardent character seems to pervade all
classes, but, strange to say, the spirit does not
usually survive beyond the midnight hour of
each 18th day of March.
1t is difficult for a common sense individual
to understand patriotism which neglects the
welfare of the great mass of the people, and
contents itself with an annual display and the
usually accompanying series of "sunburst -
orations. A true patriotic feeling, one would
think, would show itself more by attention to
the material interests and general welfare of
the working and struggling classes of the Irish
American population, rather than by "grand
parades," and speeches full of empty oompli-
ments, which are worse than useless, they
are calculated to deceive the people as to.their
real position in this country:
We are led to these reflections by reading An
editorial article in the Irish Catholic Benevolent
Union Journal for May, published in Philadel-
phia.
On the subject of immigration, the writer
says:
The Board (of Colonization I. G. B. u are
not likely to be active, energetic or vigilant
because the means to do so are not at hand and
never will be under the present system. The
Philadelpha societies have tested it, and al
though the Philadelphia Board has done well
what it had the means to do, it has done moth.
ing at all in comparison with what might have
been done did the Irish people of the city, or
even the members of the I. C. B. u. Societies Of
the city, In the least for the tCelare of the
"poor, friendfess and destitute" emigrant Or
irving at the port. (Italics ours.)
"Again, there is no 1. c. B. q. Agent or So
ciety in New York city. The Total Abstinence
Union of America took up the immigration
movement after our Union, but HOtking has been
done under it's auspices anywhere but IN Phila-
delphia. That Union has many Societies IN
New York city, but the President of the Metro
politan Union reported to the Natlonel Con
any other work than that of total abstinence"
:" The fow Philadelphan1 whose hearts
have been in the work, because the Union they
love gave it to them to do, have not ceased
under all the Heterogeneous they have met
with. They know tho necessity that exists for
some organizations. They have tried the
people, the societies have failed, congregations
have not responded to the appeals of pastors in
behalf of the movement. "Nor do we regard
the immigration movement of our Union in any
brighter light in respect to the National Union
itself. No aid has como from the National
treasury nor do we believe members of Union
Societies would willingly pay an increased
capita tax for the purpose. Certainly
the Societies have not co-operated in making
the movement successful. Nor do we regard
the future more hopeful of success" There is
q wide field for the exercise of Catholic charity,
but we do not believe the members of our
Union nor of the Total Abstinence Union will
supply the means to those who are willing to
meet the increased demand upon their labOrs
Accepting the foregoing quotations as correct
statements, one cannot help asking what has
become of the patriotic PROFESSIONALS and ora
tors of st. Patrick's Day Are they all taking q
twelve months napH 1t seems almost incredible
that in New York and Philadeiphia-with more
than half q million CatholicS-there cannot be
found q single organization disposed and able
to help the work of colonizipg some of their
struggling industrious people out on the land,
where they can build up homesteads for them
selves and their children.
Let us learn lesson from the violet
81 10 alu nd