St. Paul daily globe., 1884-09-22
Mr.. p. Egan,s Mistake.
To the editor of the GLOBE

Mr.. p. Egdn's Mistake.
To the editor of the GLOBE:
ST. PAUL. Sept. 21--In the GLOBE of Sept. Is
appeared an article from Dodge City, Iowa,
signed by thirteen members of the Dodge City
branch of the Irish National league of America,
in which they renounce all allegiance to the
league and its objects during the time that Pat
rick Egan remains at the head of the league in
America.
The method taken by these men to express their
dissatisfaction with Mr.. Egan and his way OF
doing business, is q novel one, to say the least,
and to some it may appear only in the light of a
hot headed proceeding on the part OF few IA
natical Irish Democrats. But let us probe be-
meath the surface and see if we cannot unearth
cause amply sufficient to justify these leaguers
in their action, if Justification they need, when
their reasons so fully and fairly set forth in
their letter to Mr.. Cannon. president of the
league in Iowa. quote one paragraph:
'The feeling is, that by his unwarranted and
uncaled for pronunciamento, he has plunged
the league, or attempted to plunge it, into
American politics, contrary to the platform he
was elected on"
Here we have it in few words, but these few
words are so fraught with meaning that they
will bear consideration.
Boston, the former president, Alexander sulli-
van refused to accept denomination. The rea-
son for refusal was understood to be desire on
his part to take the stump for Blaine in the pres
ent crisis of that candidates fate, and he could
not therefore consistently accept the leadership
of strictly non-political organization.
The position was then rendered to Mr. Patrick
Egan, formerly treasurer Of the league, and he
mad Mr. lat
any such trivial reason as political bias stand in
the way of his acceptance, even though he prob
ably knew that he would shortly come out as an
active supporter of man whose candidacy is, and
whose action has always been inimical to every in
terest of the Irish race, the Irish World and
other one-time champions of our cause to the
contrary notwithstanding.
When Patrick Egan accepted the presidency of
the l. N. L. he forfeited the right to become an
active factor in the interest of any presidential
candidate, for the reason that the acknowledged
leader of the Irish national movement should
hold himself aloof from dabbling in politics, and
the representative body of Irishmen
that placed him in that honorable
position supposed his own good judgment
would point out to him the propriety of SO doing
What is the fact? Hardly had the members of
that convention scattered to their various homes
before Mr.. Egan comes out in unmistakable
terms and wades into the political muddle on be-
half of Warren Fishers congressional cats paw.
And why? Simply because a rumor had reached
him to the effect that it was believed he was in
| favor of the Democratic candidate. This rumor
| was excuse sufficient for the president of the
| land league to place himself fairly at variance
| with the platform on which he was elected, and
| he seized the opportunity. In so doing he has
| forfeited the hearty support and cordial CO.
/ on nfo ,Iar Of fha
whose organization he is supposed to preside.
| Henceforward he cannot be looked up to by the
| land leaguers as man qualified to lead them
with honor in the work they are engaged in He
has placed himself in a position where his iniu-
| ence for the good of the league will amount to
naught. He has foresworn all right to be looked
upon the representative of the Irish land league
| in America, and by declaring for the Know
Nothing leader of "a, '55 and Sc has incurred
the displeasure and forfeited the esteem of ma
jority of the men who placed him at the helm in
the Boston convention.
1t will be said by Republicans that Mr.. Egan
has as much right to support Mr.. Blaine as Gen.
Collins, for instance, has to support Gov. Cleve-
land. In one sense this is true, and no one
will undertake to gainsay his right to vote as he
pleasss. But the point is right here: AS presi-
dent of the Irish National Land league, he seeks
to prostitute the position for the advancement of
proven bribe taker, political schemer, a man
whose motto heretofore has been mo Irish need
apply and this he absolutely has no right to
do
The Fort Dodge protest is but the beginning
of movement which will teach such men as
Mr.. Egan they are not elected to positions of
honor and trust in the league to enable them to
bring more influence and prestige as workers for
any political candidate, much less for one like
Blaine, who once had it in his power to show
himself friend of the movement without in any
way overstepping his sworn duty, but he chose
rather TO pander to English tyranny and the feel
| ings of man who is styled the American minis
| ter to England. We know Mr.. Blaine did 1.-The
best he could, ~ but there are hundreds of men
with less pretensions who would have caused
the liberation of the Irish suspects "without
turning a hair and come out of
| the transaction with flying colors and
the respect of nations. instead of playing
the part of cur that runs at an enemy barking
"ht to kill, but on meeting firm front sneaks
around the first convenient corner with its tail TO
the foe and heels not TO be seen for dust. Dur
ing his secretary ship was the time for Mr.. Blaine
to show his now boasted Irish proclivities, and
by his action at that time will he be weighed by
the Irish voters Of this country, with the excep-
ton of those holding Office and those others who
have been won over by specious promises of emo
luments to come ''when Blaine's elected
MILEsIA.