The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-10-15
PATRICK FoRD's TACTICS.


tention to the fact that the Irish World
is being extensively and gratultously
circulated throughout this state and
Wisconsin by the Republican national
committee. Patrick Ford for many
years has been the elf-constituted men
tor of the Irish race. When he started
the Irish World twenty-five years ago he
was a red-hot Democrat. Later on he
was greenbacker and anti-monopolist,
but for the past few years he has been: a
rampant Republican Of the most often
sive type and an advocate of high pro-
tective duties. In American politics
Patrick Ford has been chameleon, and
the exact counterpart of our own Igna
titus Donnelly. In Irish politics he has
been more inconsistent, if possible. At
one time he was advocating physical
force and opened column for the s'skir-
mishing fund" to blow England to atoms
by dynamite; at another time he opened
spread the light fund" to send his
paper to Ireland to illuminate the minds
of his benighted countrymen. When
the Irish Land League Of America at the
Chicago Convention passed resolution
to send all remittances through the treas
urer, Pat Ford selfshly called upon his
readers to send all contributions through
the Irish World. Thousands upon thou
sands Of dollars passed through his
hands for the Irish cause. It was
piece of journalistic enterprise which in
creased the circulation Of his paper i'm
mense]y. When reader of the Irish
World in 1876 and thereabouts we re-
member that Pat Ford was attacking
the Irish bishops and priests for med
ding in Irish politics; for the past two
years he has been abusing the Parnell-
ties for protesting against clerical inter
ference in the Irish elections. In short,
Mr. Ford has been a political gymnast
in all affairs affecting Ireland and Amer
lea from the inception of his paper UP to
the present hour. We deliberately say
that as guide, philosopher and friend"
of the Irish race, the conduct of Patrick
Ford has been reprehensible in the high
est degree. What is he doing at the
present time? Though advocating
Gladstone's policy Of Irish Home Rule,
which is calculated to put an end to the
international quarrel existing between
England and Ireland for centuries, Mr..
Ford is appealing to Irish prejudice
against England to assist the Republican
party to maintain it's ascendancy and
perpetuate McKinleyism and monopoly
in this country. The Irish World is CON
tinuously harp1ng upon British free
trade" and how It has injured Ireland.
It never tells it's readers that British
protection had wiped out Irish manu-
features long before free trade was
inaugurated in Great Britain. The mis-
fortunes OF Ireland are due to everything
British, and until Ireland governs itself
it matters little whether England has
free trade or protective tariff. Poor Ire
land would get the worst Of it in either
case
When Ireland has Parliament of
it's own il will need tariff both for reve-
nue. and protection to meet the expenses
of its government, to revive it's extinct
industries and foster the infant and
Industries already in opera
ton. Protective tariff was once neces-
sity for the development of American In
dustries, but the industries have grown