The Irish standard., 1899-06-10
IRISH REPUBLICAN KICKERS.

1t is announced that Irish Republi-
cans are tip in arms against the pro-
British policy OF the Mckinley admin
istration, and that they contemplate
holding national convention during
the summer to protest vigorously
against an Anglo-Saxon alliance. a
letter from the national capital to the
Chicago Inter Ocean says that recently
q number OF prominent Irish Republi-
cans from various parts OF the country
held conference in Washington to dis
cuss the steps to be taken to prevent
their party from being influenced by the
mother country" and that after due
deliberation they resolved to hold ma
tional convention, probably in Chicago,
to place themselves on record against
any entanglements with the British gov
ernment.
They deny that it will be an anti-ex-
pansion convention to clnbarrass the adj
ministration, and declare it is solely for
the purpose OF frustrating any attempt
on the part of England to exert malign
influence in American affairs. Who the
Irish Americans are that met in Wash
ngton, the newspaper correspondent
does not vouchsafe to say, and perhaps
they never met at all.
We are inclined to think that the re-
port is unreliable. There are but few
Irish Republicans anyway, and what
they would say or do in national con-
vcntion would not produce any appre-
cablc effect on the foreign policy OF the
Republican party. 1t is most probable
that the Irish Republicans who are talk
ing OF a national convention are men
who are simply after the loaves and fish
cs OF Office, and who expect to draw at
tcntion to themselves by antagonizing
the administration. A few fat bcrths
from Mark Hanna might soon make
them loyal to Mckinley, and after a
while they might think that John Bull
is not such a bad fellow after all.
II Irish Republicans make themselves
conspicuous in opposition to an Anglo
Saxon alliance it will be benefit and
not detrimcnt to the pro-British par
ty. Let them lop off the Irish" part
OF their political designation and oppose
tie alliance as Americans only, and we
will believe more in their sincerity. 1t
is as Americans and not as Irshmen
that all citizens of Celtic extraction
should discharge their sacred duty to
their beloved country. 1t is unnecessary
for Irish Republicans or Irish Demo-
Gratis to hold conventions to decry an
alliance with England if they are good
Americans and solicitous for the best
interests OF the nation. The present par
ty in power is not worthy OF the conf
dcncc OF patriotic Americans Of any
race. There was some excuse for Irish
Americans in the past to belong to the
party OF Lincoln and Blaine, but there
is no justification for them to belong
to the party of Mckinley and Hay. AS
true Americans, we hope they will OPP
pose their continuance in Office and rele-
gate them to political oblivion.
We are glad that one prominent Irish
Republican, Hon. John Brennan, Of
Sioux City, Iowa, is opposed 10 ma
tional convention OF his political breth-
rem. In the course OF sensible edito-
rial in the Northwestern Catholic he
says:
The policy OF hide-and-go-seek pur-
sued by the administration, upon the
plea of military necessity, demanding
the loyalty" of the people, must soon
come to an end. Mr.. Mckinley and his
pro-British abettors must soon fight in
the open; they must renounce or avow
the English partnership in the slaughter
and plumber OF the Philippines and Sa-
moa, and they must openly seek to just
ify the compound felony of conquest OF
repudiate it by abandonment. This
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