The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-22
G0MPERs' TIMELY SPEECH.


The other day In Chicago before a vast
audience in the auditorium building
which was attended by President Nc.
kinley, a speech was delivered by Sam.
mel Gompers, the president of the Ameri.
lean Federation of Labor, which will
find an echo in the heart of every true
and honest citizen in the land. The
Chicagoans were celebrating the peace
jubilee on gigantic SCALE commensur-
ate with the magnitude of the Windy
City, and had invited noted speakers to
talk on the great victory gained by this
republic over Spain. The committee in
charge was careful to select Republican
orators for the occasion. men who are
in touch with the Hanna administration
and who are opponents and advocates OF
territorial expansion. To remove sus-
picion of partisanship it was deemed adj
Vlsable to have Il representative of the
toiling Democracy on the platform with
the mouthpieces of the idle plutocracy
Mr. GOmpers was the man thus honor
ed and it is safe to assume that after
hearing his address the managers of the
demonstration felt like Kicking them
Selves as the phrase goes. President
Mckinley. WHO is ambitious for extern
sion of commences and acuusition of for
eign territory, must have felt anything
but pleased with the oratory of the rep
resentatjva of lohar whom bo cold.
,,,,,,.-,, 'e ''-"
. Wi'itl mas pecpMMc or the paens OF praise
iiol, ,he brave SuDans! Was our chacse
aSaii,st SPAN III her refusal to give the
reoph, vi that lSttlnu freedom and inuepen1-
'''ce oaseless: LII we admit this we at
once confess mat our war was without just
| eause' we coAfeSfj 10 Il most grevious
wrong committed Where is the spirit of
.,oi''iiS out inc neiping hand in aid Of all
people Struggling Sior liberty and indie
pe'''e''ce! where pas flown this great out
n,ilst OF our sympathy. for the self-sa.'-
riiiei'is ana liberty loving cuhans? Is it
not strange that pow for the first time
we near that the Cuballs are unfit for
aei,so. rthh'eht' 'Hit whether they protest
's''ii'st IL or NOT lthey must he dominated
| Nv US annexed " us, or become a de-
tendency OF oursf Alas. there are some
Anet'cans-our money makcrs-whose only
| sou Is inc aihisntH dollar. whose only hui
man or nlVnhe TRINITY Is dividend. interest
ana prn iron 10 the conclusion that IL
po'i suffering CuDa can DC handed over to
t,s. i,, aenner mercies; thelr deity and their
! ocNiitrH Gun hold lull sway. These gentry.
! "heh 'heie Is question betweeen liberty
| :.,ld proht' present OF prospective, throw
iiperty TO the dogs as Il worn out and
lhreauo''ie thing or the past.
II we nave interviewed in behalf of Cuba
| ana driven a foreign fyrant from her
shores we nave at least authority for our
ncli"n bN the appeals OF the struggling
They have not asked our tntcrveution 4ha,,
have not pleaded for annexation They
mnmhar s ooo neonIo nna naGa w. tnes
divided by fierce conflict. II we give free
s u"ni '',,u lhuepe'a"nee 10 una TO which
our enforced conquest and annexation Of
Porto hico? = hawaii lay we have annexed. ir-
who were not asked whether the constitmt.
tion under which they have recently
lived meets with their approval. Nor was
annexation In its direct or indirect form
| ever given TO them Tor decision. The flag
| OF our country waves In Hawaii over a
people subjected by our superior force, in
fragrant violation of the consent of the gov
erne'.
I'm the case OF the Philippines we have
more aggravated form. There is even now
i strife gong on among the nations of the
earth for the partition and possession of
eastern countries. Let us take the Philip
| pines and we shall he in the midst of the
| conflict. We shall have to follow the mon
archial policy of large standing armies.
| with immense navies mot always vol,n-
| tary). We shall not only have to bear the
heavy burdens of debt and taxation exceed
| ing that OF other nations. hut we will come
| to that point against which the genius Of
our institutions revot-compulsory military
| duty.
Such sentiments as these fell fiat unon
=, Nr0N-
tne stony nearts OF the human wolves OF
I! Chicago. and not a cheer or exclamation
VI approVai oid they evoke from the elgnt
| thousand calculating and cold-blooded
,>o,.,o,e ,,,, ,,,+,,oa =, h;,, d.. ,,
| ~ 'oAs "'o '''''"u ~ ii'iA' o"I WI :
GOmpers went on in spite Of lack OF
eptbu,;,cm ord continual.
@''A"
| I'VE do not oppose he development of our
! INDUSTRY. the expansion OF our commerce.
nor the power: and influence which the
| United states may exert upon the des.incs
| of the nations OF the earth. On the con-
| lfary. we reaHe tnht the higher intelli-
| Gence and standard q life of the American
workers will lafgelys contribute toward at
tanning TIC hlshsss spnnacle OF Industrial