The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-03-25
NORWEGIAN ANTIPATHY.

| Our Scandinavian contemporary, The
North, is again heard from on the Irish
question. This time it has fit of i'll
humor because lrish-Americans celebrate
St. Patrick's day in this country and dis
play the green flag and the shamrock in
all parts of the United States on every
recurring anniversary Of Erin's great
apostle. The North says that if other
Municipalities initiated the Irish people in
the celebration of their national holidays
they would be decried as disloyal and un-
American. Why then, Continues The
North, should the Irish be exempt, and
what reason is there for allowing them a
license which would be granted to no one
! else? But does not our esteemed nei h.
Dor know that the Irish people have no
exclusive privilege in celebrating their
national festival? Every other nation
atty has a right to celebrate events in
their history as we'll as the children of
st. Patrick. 1t is only last year that the
Norwegians celebrated political event
in the history of their native land and
instead OF Irishmen finding fault with
them for doing so, they joined their
Norwegian friends in the observance of
the day. The Hon. James L. O'Connor,
the attorney general of Wisconsin and
an ardent Irish-American, was one of the
orators of tho dav in this CITY.
The North is not true representative
organ Of it's own race when it grudges
the Irish people in this country the en-
joyment of celebrating the tlme-honored
festival of st. Patrick.
Before the Republic achieved it's indie
pendence st. Patrick's day was observed
by Irish-American patriots. Does the
editor of The North remember that the
Friendly Sons of st. Patrick, composed
of Philadelphia Irish exiles, contributed
"a large sum Of money to carry on the
war Of the revolution when there was no
money in the colonial treasury? Does
he forget that Washington became an
enrolled member of the society and was
an adopted son of st. Patrick in conse-
quence of the patriotism of the Irishmen
who gave financial aid to his army dur
ing the terrible winter at Valley Forge?
Does he know that the first victory
achieved by Washington over the Brit
ish was on March II. 1776, when the red
coats evacuated Boston, and that the
American troops were commanded by
Gen. Sullivan, an Irishman? Does he
know that the counterslgn ordered to be
used on that eventfnl day by Washing
ton was st. Patrick? Why should it be
considered disloyal or un-American for
Irishmen to celebrate the festival OF q
great apostle as national holiday? Can
The North point to any act of disloyalty
ever committed by Irishmen on Patrick's
day or any other day in this country? 1t
is a historical fact that until the arrival
Of the French, the Irish contributed
more men to the American army in the
revolutionary war than all other nation
alities combined. So says G.. w. Custis,
the adopted son Of Washington, and his
torians agree with him in that statement.
In the war of 1872 and in the war of the
rebellion Irish Americans fought and
died for this country and proved their
loyalty and Amerioanism beyond 3 doubt.
Is there any other race that has done
more OF as much? No one but an Or
anpeman or knownot thing Scandi navian|
would mention 'sdisloyalty" when refer
ring to st. Patrick's day celebrations in |
this country. The recent importation
from Norway who edits The North says
that BY virtue ef their numbers and POI