The Irish standard., 1898-04-16

branch Of New York was the banner
branch of the city and state. O'F1aherty |
was its secretary. He was Of those who |
believed with John Dewey, the noted |
leader of Irish revolutionists, that Par
nell's policy of constitutionalism should |
be given trial, mot for year or two
years, but to the end" The stand he then
took he has maintained with sterling
consistency. When the Irish parliament
airy party went to pieces after the O'Shea
divorce suit, Edward O'Flaherty was
among the first Of the American Irish
to nail his colors to the Parnell mast.
They are there still, flying proudly in
the storm of Whiggery and West Briton-
ism, all green and gold and no tinge or
taint Of red In or about them. He took
the position that as laymen the Irish
were not competent to pass upon Par
nell's moral lapse, and that Parnell's
magnificent services to Ireland should
not be clouded because an English min
lister said so, English non -conformists
declared it should be SO, and the Roman
Catholic hierarchy in Ireland decided to
have it so. Parnell was the greatest
1rishman Of the century. O'Flaherty held
it nothing short of treason to Ireland to
strike the flag in Parnell's hands. De-
velopments in ireland since Parnell's
death have proven the accuracy of his
reasoning.
This is the public character of the
man who will lead $4,000 pilgrims to
Ireland next July He will be the cen
trail figure in the most unique interna-
tional celebration of the century. 1t IS
only simple truth to say that he will be
the most popular. His name is house,
hold word in Irish-American circles In
New York. His private life is as blame
less as his public record. Men differ
with him, of course, but it is not the
kind OF difference which carries with 1t
acrimony or argument of the vindictive
sort. His mind is so we'll poised that it
refuses to descend to the trivialties,
which anger some people. He believes
that every man, who is good citizen,
and means we'll for ireland, is friend,
and should be treated as SUCH This is
! the main reason of his immense popular
ity. He is strong in his belief in Grat-
| tan's motto, 1--WE must tolerate one an
| other or tolerate the common enemy"
In politics Edward O'Flaherty is a
Tammany Hall Democrat. He attends
J the conventions Of his party, but has
| scores of times refused to accept nomi-
nation for office He could be in the
state senate at Albany had he so de-
sired years ago. But his ambition does
not lie in that direction. He is more
| than satisfied when his friends receive
| political recognition, but they must de-
serve it to have his support.
Looked at from any view point Ed
ward O'Flaherty is in his right place as
the leader OF the returning Irish exiles.
Flo does not pretend to oratorical talent.
He believes that more can be done by a
days active work for his ideal than by
a months expenditure of lung power. He
seeks for results rather than sentiment.
He is at once tho inspiration, the en-
gineer and the constructor of the move
ment designed to weld the Irish into a
solid phalanx of patriotism. And he has
accomplished all of 1t by ceaseless zeal
self sacrifice and heroic effort along lines
unmarked with trace of bigotry or pre-
judicc. Should Irish freedom, legislative
or absolute, come in this generation, one
of tho men who did most towards its
realization will be Edward O'Flaherty.