The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-01-21
WILLIAM O'BRIEN'S WARNING TO
THE PEOPLE OF KERRY.
The COMING REv) LUTON IN IRELAND
LEAVE THE LEADERS AND ORGAN.
IZE FOR YOURSELVES.
EITHER LIBERTY OR CuN1ISUEo SLAVERY
NOW IS THE TINE TO DOWN BAlLlFF
AND RACl<REN'rER.

The following magnificent speech was
recently delivered by William OBrien,
NJ p, at an enthusiastic meeting in
Kerry:
There is something little painful to
me in coming from the west, where all
is life and organization, to this fair and
mighty province of Munster, where, l
am sorry to say, the people are to a
great extent, disorganized, and drifting
without a rudder they don't know where
(cries of "Shame'D. In the west the
people at least know their own minds,
and are going straight for their object
(cheers.)
Agents and grabbers and bailiffs have
their hearts down in their boots and
the young men, Parnellite and non-Par-
nellite, are mastering into the ranks as
full of fire and hope for Ireland as ever,
whereas in many parts of the south
there appears to be some extraordinary
paralysis and indecision (cries of "It
won't be long') over the people, and
every weak and anti-National element
in the country is taking advantage of the
want of organization among the people
to go about starting testimonials to po-
licemen and landlords, and turning the
new county councils-the greatest wea-
pons for Ireland's freedom that were
ever placed in the hands of the people
into the means of honoring and reward
ing every smooth-spoken Unionist land
lord who has all of a sudden developed
an unsuspected genius for pubic affairs,
and most romantic attachment to the in
terests of the Irish people.
am never for shirking the truth or
for standing moaning over split milk. l
am for facing the situation, and finding
| a remedy. Nothing is easier the mo-
ment the people make up their minds.
Don't tell me Of the apathy you have to
contend with, or of the discouragemcnts
that are poured down your backs by foes
and by false friends. l assure you that
any difficulty or apathy you have to
contend with here is child's play COM
pared to the utterly disorganized and
helpless condition of Connaught twelve
months ago. It really seemed as if we
had not one man with decent coat on
his back at our side. It seemed as hope
less business as mouse attacking a
lion, or rather menagerie of lions, but,
faith, a twelve months fight of the right
sort has pretty we'll reversed the char
acter.
It's the people now who are the lions
in the path cloud cheers), and it Is The
grabbers and the vermin of the rent Of
flee that are scurrying off to their holes
like mice. will be told that the people
are sick Of the squabbling of leaders.
Very we'll, there is an easy remedy. Let
them leave the leaders to their squab-
bling. Let the people do their own part
by plunging into an active fighting Or
ganization Qoud cheers) and ignore lead
ers and their quarrels, and teach them
out them if it is put to it. In the words
Of the Christmas rhyme about little Bo-
Peep, "Who lost her Sheep" say, Let
them alone and they will come home,
dragging their tails behind them" CAP
plause and loud cheers.)
At least that is in one word my no.
tion Of how to save the country; not to
abuse any leader, not to enter into any
controversy or recrimination with him;
to invite and welcome every one of them
| impartially on our platforms if he is will
ling to lend hand in genuine :ght
against the peoples enemies, and if he
is not, then to let him gradually clface
himself, and let the country take no fur
ther notice of his little personal griev-
ances or carping (hear, hear and cheers).
l look to something that is more
Immediately feasible than parliamentary
unity and that is popular unity and the
popular organization, which is unity it.
self.
The consequence of that policy is, we
have all sorts of Nationaliss, Parnell-
ties and non-Parnclites. mingling freely
in our ranks upon footing Of absolute
! equality, and we all find occupation
enough for our energies in fighting the
policemen who grab a Widows farm or
the agents of Dublin Castle, who go
about manufacturing crime or in captur-
ing for Irish Nationality those strong
holds Of local government which have
hitherto been manned by the garrison of
England. l want to know why the same
thing should not be done in the south.
Do Mr.. Haviland Burke, who contested
North Kerry, and Mr. flavin, who fought
him, find greater difficulty in joining
hands here? Do the Parnellites and nom
Parnellites of Kerry find any greater diff
fculty here in joining hands today than
Mr.. Fitzgibbon and myself find on the
platforms of Connaught? (Cheers and
crimes Of "No, no.")
should be sorry to belong to any or