The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-03-21
szons as the great tneolog.ans Newman.

sons as the gr9af fn00lo g:ans, Newman.
Wiseman and Manning; such Statesmen
as Chatham, Peel and Gladstone; such
poets as Milton and Shakespeare cannot
be condemned as a class. No, the Irish
people prove themselves peaceable. law
abiding, ordinary people. Take as exam
pie the class that came into this local.
;ty 40 years ago and they are fine sample
Of all others They are poor, it is true,
but they have been robbed in the home
of their birth. However, they possessed
health strength and yigor, and with the
best intentions they proceeded to traas-
form wilderness into q cultivated gar
den and they succeeded wonderfully.
They built substantial homes and COM
Portable surroundings, rear their families
in a respectable Christian manner, erect
school houses, educate their children, con-
struct churches until one would be re-
minded on looking at their tall spires
pointing heavenward of a white hand
pointing to the throne Of God. Those
rugged men and their virtuous wives are
we'll worthy Of the respect and admira-
ton of the world, and you, their chill
dren, will do we'll II you emulate their
noble example, by leading exemplary and
virtuous lives, by showing zeal, earnest
II
exhibited.
And while the Irish immigrant sue
oeeded in husbandfy or agriculture he
likewise attained pre-eminence in every
other walk of l.fe Law, letters, litera-
tnre, commence, the sciences, each claim
ing their full share of glory. Look at our
own state. for instance, and the, great
men Of Irish birth or descent that were
and are today important characters in
our policy: Judge Thomas Wilson, who
for number of years was chief justice
OF our suprime court; William Lochren,
commissioner of pensions; W. w. McNair,
Eugene Wilson, G.. .. O'Brien. ex-inayor
of st. Paul, and the great Sage or Ntnger,
1gnatius Donnelly are among those that
have attracted the attention of the CONN
try. But at the head and oyershadowing
all stands that giant Of intellect, the very
mention OF whose name must cause the
heart Of every patriotic Irishman to thrill
49, I refer to the renowned theolos..an
scholar and diplomat that presides as
archbishop of the great arch diocese of
st. Paul---John Ireland.
Going further away from home we find
geniuses Of Celtic origin wherever the
Irish immigrant found his way. Hon.
John r. F:nerty, Of Chicago, Hon. Patrick
A. Collins, of Boston, now consul general
OF London, the late Daniel Dougherty,
take front rank among the bright con-
stellation around whose center circle
such names as Patrick Henry, Carroll,
OF Carrollton Knox, Montgomery, Meagh
err and Sheridan. And now while on
this theme, briefly referring to favor.ties
of the past and present, feel that would
be committing a sacrilege if omitted to
mention Burke, Oliver Goldsmith and
Daniel OConnell all Of whom possessed
such transcendant merits that to briefly
sketch them would require the time Of
the entire evening.
With such an ancestry nave we not
reason to fee elated. Certainly any one
that is ashamed because IRISH blood flows
in his veins, is due TO the density Of
his ignorance or his lack of knowledge:
for to maintain the record of our fore
fathers IS no small task; but we must
keep in advance Of the times and strive
to do right.
"And when better days have come,
AS they are sure to be,
The Irish flag will float among +
The nations Of the free.
Her bright green folds will speak of
hope
Like sunshine on the sheen,
And the whole world Will be better
For the wearing of the green"