The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-17
KNIGHTS OF ST. PATRICK


W tllG WUIlu dlHlUSl DGlOIe liG lUh Oh
the parchment is dry
When you reflect on the great Column
bus sailing away from his beloved
Spain, leaving behind those who would
have to wait months, perhaps years, for
one solitary bit of news of the sue
cess or failure Of the hardy voyager, and
that to-day the discovery of new
comet in the armament is flashed
through the mighty depths of old ocean
to the household of every reader of the
newspaper, you can realize the tremen-
dous advance that has been made in the
/ collection and distribution of news.
The chances are that if there had
been live, hustling reporter of an
American daily alive in the time of Co.
lumbus, his paper would have had a
story of the discovery, an interview
with the aborigines, and cuts Of Co.
lumbus and the Santa Maria even be-
fore the discovery took place.
Ladies and gentlemen, the American
press to-day leads the world in enter
prise, fairness and charact Fearless
in defense Of right, absolutely incorrup-
tible, never swerving in it's advocacy of
measures for the good of the plain.
honest, common people-the bulwark of
Our Observation-Disclosures ready to
champion the cause Of the down trod-
den and oppressed, the American press
stands between the people and plutoc-
racy. and points it's independent finger
at monopoly with these warning words
THUS far shalt thou go, but no far
ther.'
The greatest danger to our country
to-day lies in the monopolistic trusts
and combines, graspng at the throat
of the honest American citizen.
The American press Of the present
generation is ever Jealous of the inter-
ests of the people. 1t brings to light
every corrupt scheme that strikes at
the liberties and prerogatives of man
kind. and it will be found, defending
the weak against the strong.
AS the American nation within the
limits of century grew from infancy
to the exalted position of the leader of
nations-assumed a place in 100 years
that 1T took other nations centuries TO
attain, so has the intellectual growth
through the press been of the same
sturdy, healthy character. With pow
er has come responsibility, and let us
hope that over the door of every news
paper builing may be inscribed, Truth,
Justice, Honesty of All, for ALL"
Representative James p Bree was
the next speaker. His toast was Con
necticut,' and he spoke as follows:
Mr.. POSTMASTER and Brother
.Knights-The toast assigned me by
your committee is one to which gladly
offer most willing tribute; feeling, new
ertheless, that words of mine cannot do
the subject justice. I am asked to say
a few words on the toast to the state of
Connecticut, the commonwealth which
protects us and under whose laws we
enjoy large share of personal and re-
ligious liberty.
In the early day of those colonies
from which grew the present state of
Connecticut the dominating influence
was that of the members of the recog-
nized church, and the laws then in
vogue were such as to confer additional
privilege upon those who were in ac-
cord with the teachings of the church
societies. The early settlers of Connec-
ticut were sturdy and energetic set of
men, and their views upon matters of
government were shaped by circum-
stances unlike any which surround the
people of this generation. The men who
made up the colonists who founded this
goodly state were exiled from England
because they would not yield their prin-
ciples to the arbitrary rule of that ma
ton. In that respect the founders of
Connecticut colony, of New Haven COL
ony, of Windsor, of Hartford, and of
the other earlier settlements, were, as
were and are so many of the Irish race,
victims of the oppression and tyranny
of Great Britain. They had no love in
their hearts for the country which BAN
ished them, and later on in Revolution
airy times no arms were stronger and no
hearts Drawer in the struggle which set
tied the question of the independence of
Americans than were those gathered in
the name of this State of Connecticut.
In that period the glory and success of
the American cause were participated
in and advanced by the skill and daring
of the men of Connecticut. Well may
we, who now enjoy the blessings of
tranquility, be proud of the share which
our old commonwealth has had in secur-
ing the boon of freedom for the people |
Scattered throughout the state are mon
uments to men Of historic interest, and
in our parks and public places testimo-
NAL after testimonial may be found to
bespeak for the men who waged the |
war for liberty the gratitude and af- |
fection of an Independent people.
More than $50 years have come and |
gone since Hooker, Davenport and their |
bands of determined men began their |
settlements within the territory now |
known as the state of Connecticut. Pri- |
walton and hardship came to these pio |
neers, and life after life went out in the |
effort to civilize the wilderness and |
tame the savage of the forest. The |
march of civilization, despite the dan |
gers and difficulties which confronted !
the settlers, has been steadily on, until
in our day. on these acres, once known |
to the Indians as the hunting grounds
of Quinnipiac, there stand institutions
of learning rivallinE any in the civilized
world, and churches and public build
ings equalling if not excelling anything
the older civilizations of Europe may
boast of.
The laws Of our state, once so exact
ing and rigorous, have changed with
changing times and circumstances, and
much of that 1igor which marked the
of statutes essentially PI-
To l