The Irish standard., 1897-04-24

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and the poor Indians suffer in conse-
quence.
WHO FEARS TO. SPEAK OF '987
Much interest is being felt by Irish
Americans in the centennial celebration
of the Irish rebellion Of 1898, which
takes place in Dublin next year. Exten-
sive preparations are. going ON all over
this country. to attend the celebration In
the capital of Ireland, and it is estimated
that at least five ocean steamers will
have to be- chartered to convey the re-
turning exfles to their native shores to
participatec in; the celebration of this
memorable event.
The round trip from New York to Ire
land will be $16O. This includes hotel
accommodation for eight days after
Handing, and railroad transportation to
points Of interest in Wexford, Wicklow,
Carlow and Kildare: Tickets will be
good for the year 1898, which will prac-
tically be from June to December:
The central committee in New York
consisting of well known Irishmen,
have issued an. address to the Irish peo
pie of America, in which they set forth
the object of the excursion to Ireland
and shed light on the insurrection Of a
hundred years ago; Among other things
they say:s,~s -;-;:;s
'Ninety-nine years ago the people of
Ireland rose against intolerable tyran-
ny and made a gallant effort to restore
their country to place among the ma
tions. Following the example Of the 13
colonies, they sought to obtain by force
the rights denied to peaceful appeals.
Ireland was held by a foreign govern
ment which ruled through an alien oil
garchy, ;disfranchised and plundered the
majority of the people, crushed their in
dustries, stifled their intellectual growth
and made such rights of citizenship as it.
allowed dependent on religious belief.
In place of this odious system the
United Irishmen proposed to establish
a government tof the people, for the
people and by the people, under which
all men, irrespective. of creed or class,
should have equal rights and duties.
England fomented religious strife; the
United Irishmen brought the warning
sects together and buried the feuds of
centuries
The people Of Ireland were goaled in
to insurrection by the British govern
ment The United Irishmen found much
difficulty in propagating their principles
in Wexford, and yet that gallant county
was the first to break out in rebellion.
The inhabitants were exasperated by the
atrocities committed by the troops quar-
tered among them, and finally they as
sembled under the leadership of their
clergy and took the field against their
prosecutors. That is what the British
government wanted. Armed with rude
weapons and led by unskilled officers,
the bravo men of Wexford met their he
reditary foes and slaughtered about 25,.
900 of them in few months No more
heroic struggle is recorded in history
than that of :'98 in Ireland, and if any
men deserve to be remembered it is
those who fought and died for Irish lib
erty in the closing years of the last
century.
lone of the features of the coming cele-
bration will be the dedication ola monu-
ment to Wolfe Tone in Dublin A purer
and more disinterested patriot never
lived. Doubtless other patriots will be
similarly honored. The gallant Father
i Murphy and his clerical compatriots
should not be forgotten. In obedience
to Emmet's dying wish no shaft shall be
erected over his grave and no inscrip-
tion for it written until ireland takes it's
place among the nations of the earth.
The Minneapolis Tribune, in recent
editorial upon the Irish centennial, has
this to say: ut is a gratifying indica-
tion of the growth of tolerance in mod
FERN times that this celebration, invoIv-
: ing the eulogy and exaltation of men
who were executed, as rebels hundred
years ago, is now tolerated by the Brit
ish government. The noble dead are
regarded no longer as rebels, even by
the descendants of their executioners,
but as martyrs who gave up their lives
in the holy cause of liberty. ireland
has not secured separate national exist
ence, but she has secured degree of po-
litical independence, which, IL granted to
the rebels of 1898, would have amply
satisfied Them
/ A few Orange leaders, like Johnston
Of Ballykilbeg, are alarmed at the peace
full invasion of so many Irish-Americans
in 1898. The Goth New York Irish regi-
ment is said to be going over, and the
Orange bigots are afraid to celebrate
the anniversary of the Battle of the
Boyne If these veteran soldiers are with
in hearing of the insulting music of
their fife and drum. The followers Of
King William ought to refrain from in
dulging in their usual pranks on the
18th of July of next year. If they irri-
tate the patriotic feelings of the exiles
Of Erin who are going back on tenn