The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-01-05
THE YEAR 1904.

THE YEAR 1894.
Time in it's incessant flight has mea g.
ured another revolution of the sun, and
the year 1894 has passed from the field
of action into history, but not out OF
memory. The year just passed will be
little regretted but long remembered,
No year of late has made SO much his
tory as 1894. In our country the year
has been characterized by inaction
rather than action, yet the political
achievements have been important. The
theory which for thirty years shackled
trade has been laid bare and the strings
of commerce united. Much remains
still to bs done, but let us be thankful
for what has been accomplished. Eight
cen hundred ninety four has been M ade
to suffer for the sins of other years, but
in so doing the success of succeeding
years has been made possible. The in
evitable reckoning which follows extrav-
agance in public and private life, has
come and gone, and left it's cruel mark
upon the old year. One half our people
have patiently waited in idleness while
the world consumed what doped sys-
tom of trade and manufacturing had
forced upon the marke. That our coun-
try was able to stand the shock without
disaster and famine, proves the wonder
fulness of it's wealth aud the adaptable
ty of it's people. No other country in
the world could have sustained the On
forced idleness of it's people for SO long
time without dreadful suffering and ia
tality. In almost any country OF Flu
rope the failure Of single crop causes
widespread suffering, but for two years
our country has Witnessed an almost
complete paralysis of her entire manu-
featuring system, yet suffering is not
general and no where aggravated. We
should re1oice then that the past year
has exposed the fallacy of artificial pros
perity and taught the American people
that value of produce as we'll as the
measure of wages is controlled after all
by supply and demand, and that no
Mckinley bill can give prosperity when
that great law is disregarded. We can
rejoice too that we live in country
which is able to pass through such an
ordeal without disaster. To the people
of Ireland the last days Of the year saw
the cherished object of century fur
ther away than the first. They have
been forced to witness the retirement
from politics of that venerable English
statesman whose life-work for humanity
and Justice led him to tell the English
people and the world of century of in
justice to Ireland. The people and de-
scendants of Western Ireland will learn
with mingled emotions of pity for their
relations and hatred for the oppressor,
that the old world closed upon Western
Ireland IN dire need. The cruel work OF
fate or the inexplicable methods OF Prov
ldence have again selected that peculiar
ly lnofens1ve and patient people for en-
other visitation Of famine. The Irish
nationality the world over will see to it
that they do not suffer as they did in
1947. ssAer-<. gsr~,,ss..-,-.s.a
The great powers Of Europe have been
constantly preparing during the past
year for that mighty combat which all
expect, yet dread. Russia laments the
death of Gar and France the loss of 9
beloved President. Germany and Italy
have advanced another year IN the direc-
lion OF bankruptcy. In Asia there is war
One Monaghan people imbued with
the spirit 81 the West, and employing
Western methods has administered q.
terrible punishment to another Mongo.
lien people thirty times more numerous,
but who have not yet wakened from the
lazy lethargy Of the Orient. e will be-
9 sad duty Tor the historian to record
the fact that the last days of the year
were marked BY the hideous slaughter