Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-10-08
Passage of the Local Govern
ment Act Renders United
Action Imperative.
Appeals to All to Support the
Nationalist for Mayor of
Dublin.
ANNUAL NATIONALIST CONVENTION

At a recent meeting of the Independent
League in Dublin Mr.. John Redmond
outlined the work to be performed by the
convention to be held on the day follow
ing the Parnell anniversary celebration.
His announcement of the course to be
pursued by the people in using the new
and formidable power placed i'll their
hands by the local government act was
warmly welcomed by his supporters, says
the Dublin Independent His remarks,
which cover the state of affairs as at pres
ent existing in Dublin and Ireland, were
as follows:
Gentlemen, there are two or three ques-
tons of great importance at this moment
which l desire to speak to you about to-
night First of all, l wish to allude to
the forthcoming Parnell demonstration.
We are now approaching very near to the
time when annually for a number of years
past-since his death-men from all parts
of Ireland have assembled here i'll Dublin
to pay a tribute of affection and rev.
erence to his memory by making pill
grimage to his grave, And it seems to
me that this year there are many reasons
why this Parnell anniversary demonstra-
ton ought to be unusually large and
unusually impressive. This year-lS9S
we have been engaged in celebrating
the memory of the dead. The other day
here in Dublin we witnessed a magnifi-
4 70 honor
of Wolfe Tone. And it seems to me that
no one who took part in that demonstra-
ton can refuse to honor also the memory
of Parnell, a man who, in altered times,
and, it is true, with altered weapons,
still fought for the freedom of Ireland
and devoted his life to her services. And,
gentlemen, there is another reason why
year after year these Parnell anniversary
demonstrations ought to grow in volume
and in power. Every year that passes
makes it clearer to Ireland how great were
the services of Parnell and how irrepara-
bic has been his loss. Since his death
Ireland has been drifting like rudder-
less ship and so, fear, it will continue
until God in His providence. sends some
other man who will be able, on the prin-
ciples of Parnell, to reunite the Irish
nation. Gentlemen, l believe that these
Parnell anniversary demonstrations are
q great value to Ireland, aud l sincerely
hope that they will continue until some
day in the near future, the very near
future as hope, when they may perhaps
fttingly eliminate in a great demonstra-
ton to lay the foundation stone here III
the streets of Dublin of a National men,
orial to his memory, l therefore appeal
tonight to our friends in every part OF
Ireland to organize their forces in time,
so that every part of the country may be
represented in this years Parnen ami
versary celebration. l may announce to
you, gentlemen, that the day after the
Parnell anniversary it isintention to hold
the annual convention of the Independ-
ent National Party i'll the Antient Con-
cert Rooms. The passage of the recent
Local Government Act renders it, in our
opinion, imperative upon us to organize
our party all through Ireland during the
coming winter, and to decide upon the
lines upon which we will work in using
the new and formidable weapon that
that act has placed in our hands. Gen
tlemen, the programme to be placed be
fore the Independent National Conven-
ton the day after the Parnell anniversary
will require more than ordinarily careful
consideration, and therefore we propose
to summon a private conference of our
leading friends in the city Of Dublin to
meet week or so before the convention,
and to consider with us the programme
which should be placed before the dele
gates. There are two other matters
to which desire to allude tonight. The
first is the question of the Mayoralty of
the city for next year The question that
has arisen in reference to the Mayoralty
of the city of Dublin is a national, as
distinguished from merely local ques-
ton. If indeed it were a merely local
question l for my part might, perhaps,
rot feel justified in interfering, but it is
because and my colleagues believe that
this is a distinctly national question, and
a national question of the gravest and
most vital import, that we have deter
mined, with all the resources at our COM
mand, to interfere in this matter and to
take vigorous action. 1t is well for us
all to remember that next year, for the
first time in its history, the corporation
of Dublin will be entitled to the name
of really reformed corporation. For
the first time in its history it will then be
a body really elected by the mass of the
people, aud need not point out to you
that, under the new circumstances, its
importance and its powers will be enor-
mously increased. 1t will then be the
first and most important representative
institution in Ireland, and the Maycralty
Of the city of Dublin win then be the