The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-11-11
THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.

THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY.
The Irish Standard begins the fiji
teenth year OF its publication with this
issue, and its publishers deem it proper
to thank its patrons throughout the
Northwest, from the copper regions of
the upper peninsula Of Michigan to the
distant shores of Oregon and interme-
date territory, for the practical support
it has received from them during the
period of its existence. 1t will be the
aim and purpose OF the conductors Of
this journal in the future as in the past
to deserve on its real merits the con-
tinuous encouragement of its readers.
The latter will be glad to know that the
Irish Standard at present rests on a
solid foundation and that its benign in
fluence is felt not only among the Irish
race, but among citizens OF diverse
nationalities in this section of the coun-
try. 1t was only last week that one Of
its editorials was translated and pub
lished in Scandinavian contemporary,
and the Cincinnati Enquirer thought its
utterances on the Ohio campaign of
sufficient Importance to merit quotation
in it's columns.
Though the Irish Standard receives
its chief support from Instantaneous,
it can boast of having many unhyphen-
ated Americans on it's subscription list
because OF its vigorous support of true
Americanism and it's unalterable antag-
onism to the irnperialistic policy of the
Hanna-McKinley administration. Its
attitude on the Philippine question has
won the appreciation OF every genuine
American with Revolutionary blood in
his veins.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
Irish Standard is essentially Catholic in
everything relating to religion, it never
theless is broad and tolerant in its dis
cussion of sectarian matters. Though
it condemns religious errors in forcible
style and lashes bigotry wherever found
it discriminates between the man and
his creed. It believes that man can
be perfectly sincere and honest in spite
of the fact that he accepts falsehood
for truth as guide to salvation.
Though the Irish Standard believes in
every doctrine taught by the Catholic
Church, it does not think for moment
that every one within its fold is saint,
and every one outside OF its pale
is a sinner. 1t believes that a good
Protestant is better than a bad
Catholic, and that many God-fearing
members of Protestant communions
lead more edifying lives and are more
pleasing to the Almighty than men who
have the true faith and fail to obey the
commands OF the church. In brief, the
Irish Standard believes that "many are
called, but few are chosen" and that all
who say, Lord, Lord, shall not enter the
kingdom OF heaven, but only those who
do the will of God upon earth. There
fort it is that the Irish Standard is
liberal in its tendencies towards non
Catholics and never writes harshly of
Protestants except in repelling vindic-
tive attacks on the Catholic Church.
The Irish Standard will always preach
the gospel OF liberty for all men, ire
spective OF race, color or creed. It
thoroughly believes that all men are
created equal, with inalienable rights,
and that among these rights are '1ife,
liberty and the pursuit OF happiness"
1t believes with Swift that the Almighty
never created one class OF men to ride
their fellow men with spurs, and that
no nation, whether Muscovite, Teuton,
Anglo-Saxon or American, is fit to gov
crn another nation against the consent
OF its inhabitants, be they civilized or
not. Consequently it is opposed to the
government OF the Filipinos by an
American oligarchy and the government
OF the Beers by an English plutocracy.
1t has always been and always will be
opposed to the government OF Ireland
by the Norman aristocracy OF England,
and will be ready at all times to advo-
cate native parliament for the Irish
nation.
Finally, the Irish Standard will try to
improve with age and give its readers
the worth Of their money in original
and selected matter. Nothing fiat, stale