Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-01
CHAPTER u.=MY HERO

When nv course at the University was
completed, / came home for vacation be-
fore starting for the two years travel nv
father had marked out for me- had not
been at home long when a great meeting
under the direction of the Land League
Association was called. Charles Stuart
Parnell was to be the speaker. When the
day came the town was decorated most
beautifully. The streets were arched with
evergreen wreathS and from every WIN
dow Irish flags and banners mingling with
the American stars and stripes tloated on
the breeze. All day the streets were a
living mass of people, so densely were they
crowded.
Mr.. Parnel was the recognized leader of
the Land League. and as the champion of
the no-rent system he was very popular
AS he came to the platform to address the
multitude cheer after cheer rent the air
and thousand of voices joined in the hymn
God Save Ireland?"
When this noble man advanced to the
front of the platform he said in a clear dis
tinct voice:
eve appeal to the farmers of Ireland to
be up and dOingl Organize at once that
your full strength may be put forth in be-
half of yourselves and your country! Let
us remember the words of Ireland's great
est sons. That the land is the point
whence we all ultimately draw, and if the
terms on which the land is cultivated be
unfair, then the entire structure is rotten
and must inevitably come down! In vain
shall we try to arouse the national spirit if
the very men who make nation sink into
paupers. Paupers have no country, no
rights, no duties! In short, if we permit
the small farmers to be reduced to perjury,
if they are compelled to give up their lands
and throw themselves on the country for
relief, there is an end to Ireland.
sit takes an army of thirty thousand
soldiers to secure the rent now, and if you
band together and ask reduction it must
come, for no landlord can stand against
you. Stand firm and self-reliant against
this band of cormorant vampires that have
sucked the life blood from the country:
that have banished your brothers and sis
tiers, and made us nation of paupersi
They threaten you with eviction if you re-
fuse to pay this terrible rack-rent; but
don't forget that an English cabinet minis
ter once said that Eviction under aggra-
waited circumstances is felony!' And you
know it is a maxim of the English law,
| that felony can be resisted unto death.
st is well for us to take lesson from
the English. They are practical peoplel
| [Cheers and 1--WE WILL" from the vast
! audience You must band together and
! shun the man who will occupy an eyicted
| property, as you would a leper. Hold no
communion with him. If his wife and
! children are sick let them alone. 1t is only
| by this means that you can bring the
| landlords TO reason
| There are large estates growing up to
weeds now, but if you hold to your pur-
pose they will increase thousand foldI'
| After leaving this meeting Mr.. Parneu
was arrested and taken to kilmainhanl
| prison, where number of the prominent
| leaders of the Land League were confined
From that day Charles Stuart Parnen be-
came heroi And his noble championship,
sacrifices and sufferings in the cause OF
Irish liberty have enthroned him in the
/ hearts of all true patriots. 1t was no hero
| worship that had made this great gather
| ing possible. 1t was the deep, heartfelt
protest of naked, starving, outraged peo-
| pie. 1t was a cry against bayonet rule and
an appeal for human rights.
This man had placed himself in sympa-
| thy with the peoples needs, and now they
| looked at him as their leader, protector
and iberator. They trusted that at no dis
tant day he would overcome the power OF
| the landlords to make famine where there
was plenty and to rob them of improve
ments that We're Justly theirs.
The leaders of the Land League demand
ed union of its followers, but strongly con-
demned violence. Unfortunately, many
disobeyed the injunction. When their