The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-28
ANACONDA NEWS.
ARE WILLING TO INVADE
Irishmen In Montana Favor
Striking a Blow in Canada.
MANY MEN AVAILABLE
6even Armed Irish Military Companies
In the State - Fifteen Hundred Men
Would Volunteer, Says q
Prominent Leader.

IF Canada is to be invaded by the
Fenians and Irish Nationalist. Mon
tana can be, depended upon to furnish
her full quota of men and to take an
active part in the campaign" said
prominent leader of his countrymen
in Anaconda yesterday, referring
ITO the dispatch printed yesterday morn
ing In which 1t was stated such an in
vasion is contemplated.
Inquiry among the prominent Irish
men Of the city yesterday developed
the fact that the proposition to invade
Canada is no new thing among the
Irish organizations in this state. That
1t has been discussed frequently in re-
cent meetings of these organizations is
a fact that is not denied but admitted
freely. 1t is said even that plans have
been matured for the part the anti
British residents of the state will take
IN the proposed campaign into Canada.
1T is.idle to deny that Irishmen the
country over are talking Of this pro-
Ject and have been for some time
said a prominent Irishman yesterday,
but it would be the height Of folly for
anyone of us to allow his name to be
used publicly. All of US realize that
now is our opportunity to strike blow
At our ancient enemy, England. 1t is
useless FOR Irishmen to 80 to the Trans
vaal TO fight the English whenthey may
do SO almost at home. We can fight
them better in Canada than we can in
Africa.
ENGLAND is withdraw her forces
from Canada. leaving that county I'M
protected, doing SO in her dire neces-
sity. Our race, which has been SO
foully dealt with by her, is justified in
taking its revenge now when it has the
opportunity.
PERSONALLY I cannot discuss with
you for publication exactly what our
tion to the fact that a revolution of the
French Canadians is probable in the
near future, that race taking advan-'
tage of the lack of military force in the
dominion to throw off the yoke that
has been burdensome to them for SO
many years. What more natural than
that we, who have an equal score to
settle with England, should march TO
their assistance?
There are, at a conservative esti-
mate, $4,000 Irish in Montana, every
one of whom would be in sympathy
with the movement. In addition there
Hre many Germans who would be with
use, for in the present situation Irish
men and Germans are standing togeth-
er. know to my own knowledge that
has seen military service, while the
same probably is true OF Germans
throughout the. state. ~~r-'~
Many of the Irish are not organized,
vet in the Ancient Order of Hibernians
alone there are about 1,500 mem bers in
the state. There is a division of the
order in this city with 230 members.
Butte, at the last convention of the or
der. had "a division with $50 members
and since has organized another divis-
ion. Marysville, Kalispell, Great Falls,
Belt and Red Lodge each have divis-
ions, the ones at Kalispell and Red
Lodge having been organized since the
last convention, so l cannot give you
the figures.
There are also seven armed Irish
military companies in the state, num-
berng between 600 and 700 stout irish
men, who would be ready, no doubt, to
do battle against their hereditary foe.
Two Of these are located in Anaconda
and five in Butte.
Besides these there are a number of
other Irish societies in the state, SO I
am safe in saying we could put a force
of $500 men from Montana in the field
on short notice to do effective work.
Montana is situated singularly we'll
ITO do effective service in such an in
vasion. We lie close to England's great
military highway, the Canadian Pacific
railway, but which she sets SO much
store. Save for the small and badly
scattered mounted police this line is
unprotected. Were dash to be made
northward from Montana on the Great
Falls & Canada railroad we could reach
Lethbridge, N. w. T., by that line and
thence run on the Canadian Pacific
railway branch to Dunmore or other
convenient point and cut the railway
there.
''What seems to some Of us as the
more effective plan is to do our work in
British Columbia rather than in the
Northwest territory. Taking Spokane
as a base we could run north to Ross
land or other points in the Kootenai
country of the province. Kootenai's
population Is largely American, rs per
cent of the people being citizens of the
United States. A great proportion of
them are of irish birth or parentage.
There we would be among friends Rev.
elstoke, on the line of the Canadian Pa
cif1c. could be reached speedily and the
great military highway cut. This would
be easy, as destructible bridges abound
on that division.
I'VE anticipate that the United States
government would be slow in acting to
prevent the movement. Then, too, the
United States has no effective body of
troops to stop us crossing the border,
most of the soldiers being In the Philip
pines, Cuba or Porto Rico. Further
than this / think the administration
would be glad to get the Irish out of
the country before the next election"
and the speaker laughed.
I'VE could do England a great deal
OF damage in British Columbia. 1t even
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