Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-03-12

MIR. COCHRAN GLoRIFIES GOTHAM.
family names of the mixed population
OF Manhattan island | was struck by
the fact that, although the Dutch were
the original European settlers, their
descendants have been completely over
whelmed and showed under, so to
speak, by other nationalities Not only
in the directory, but also in public life,
generally the Vans are far from con-
spicuous by their numbers, although
some of the wealthiest families indicate
by their names their old Knickerbocler
lineage.
That distinguished New York poll
tician and congressman, w. Bourke
Cochran, in an after-dinner speech
made on last st. Patricll's day before o
brilliant assemblage, said, with glow
of enthusiasm: ''New York is the great
est Catholic city in the world, and she
is the greatest Irish city as we'll"
Anybody who has an opportunity to
witness the gigantic st. Patricks day
celebration in New York is prepared TO
believe that Mr.. Cochran was not in
dulging in fight of fancy. Occasion
ally take walk on Sunday mornings,
and have been astounded at the throngs
of worshipers that pour out of the
Catholic churches, and their almost ex-
clusivcly Celtic type of features. The
only Other race that rivals the Irish in
its attendance at religious service is
the Hebrew. Church going is certainly
on the wane among the Protestants,
and in some of the most imposing
fashionable churches worshiper
has as much room, so to speak, as
a blackbird in forty-acre field, while
Catholic churches and the synagogues
are almost as badly congested as the
elevated trains during the rush" hours.
On st. Patricll's day the green flag,
while it has no bona ,fde existence as a
national emblem, is visible everywhere
Itappears in the windows of the shops
and dwellings, on the passing vehicles
and on the breasts of Ireland's stalwart
sons and daughters; but this year, for
the first time in many years, it will no
| longer futtcr from the flagstaff of the
city hall, for the assembly has decreed
that only the American flag is to be
displayed on public buildings. There
is no occasion when Irish wit Is not
equal to the emergency, but on st.
Pat1ick's day it bubbles forth on the
slightest provocation. 1t is ON this day
that milliman, who happened not to
be Irish, said to Bridget as she appeared
with pitcher, and a bow of green rib
bon on her bosom:
'Ifyou are not careful, Bridget, some
donkey will be biting at you, you're so
green"
Thin, Oi had better be gittin' back
into the house." replied Bridget, as she
hurried away
The lrishman, even in the third and
fourth generation, does not forget "old
Ireland" and unless the British gov
ernment can discover some way of lock-
ing up Irish patriotism with Irish
| patriots, sooner or later the real griev-
ances of that gifted people will be num-
bered among the things of the past; but
an oppressed people must liberate
themselves. 1t can never be accom-
plished by the efforts of outsiders
Whatever advantages the Irish have
wrested from their masters has been
due to the persistence of the former
not the informcr, of course. As an
| lTISll orator III inc mousse OF commons
once stated the case: "As long as Ire
land was silent under wrongs Englanf
was deaf to her cries"
The New York Irishman not only
contributes literally to assist his friends
at home to carry on the political fight,
but, no matter how humble his lot, he
never neglects his destitute relatives
across the water The aggregate
amount of money sent to private par
ties in ireland from their more pros
porous relatives in this city is simply
astounding. AS it has been wittily ex-
pressed: "The real Irish question is:
Has the registered letter mail come in
from American"
In no other city in the world does st.
Patrick receive such an ovation, as it
were, as he does in New York. In
fact, there are not few with whom
getting ready for st. Patrick's day is
more pleasant than getting over the
effects OF it, which suggests CONVEX
sation | once overheard between ma
tive American, who was sl1eptical as to
St. Patricks eradication of snakes, and
Hibernian, who was slightly under