The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-12-17

second step then Is 70 Introduce the Ian
glage into the primary grades Of the ma
tioual school and spread II through the
districts which have become English
speaking. AS the Irish learned 10 speak
English I'm fifty years. II should not take
them half that time 70 relearn their own
tongue.
The Gaelic League does not wish % bar
English. but between English and irish
IL prefers Irish. IL says and says with
reason that there are only two possible
futures before the country either Oh be-
come county Of England or % DO on
independent ration. II Ireland e. on Ia.
come West Britain. then let us drop ALI
this humbug about patriotism. 10 Is worth
nothing nationally or commercially or
morally As a. IS. the AngliciZed Irish
man Is neither fish. flesh. fowl nor good
red herring The sooner he becomes ID
thorough Englishmau the better for him
and the country. II Ireland Is n be- an
independent nation, the people must re-
main Irish. and the only way they can
remain Irish r. by speaking Irish. Anglo
Irish literature cannot compete with Ems
lish literature. English newspare-4
printed I'm Ireland are Outclassed and an.
dersold by English newspapers printed fr
England. II is now only a few hours
from London 10 Dublin. The poor nation
the rich nation. The people who speak
English will patronize and do patronlzs
the English magazines and books They
are assimilating more and more the Eng.
lish ideas. Only In one way can the de-
generation be stopped. and that Is bv
building up the language as a wall ~
brass around the island. III the Irish ma
ton is 20 persevere. and persevere 10 must
II the world would not be poorer. tho
Of "a
in the revival OF the Gaelic tongue
VI
II is surprising how ready an acceptance
these ideas find In the minds u the peo-
pie. During a visit 20 Dublin last sum
mer l was asked by the local branch ~
the league 10 open its annual course ~
lectures. l gladly consented, and be-
fore n very mixed audience set forth tho
connection between the revival ~ the Ian
guage and the true idea 81 nationality I
was surprised at the genuine enthusiasm
with which these ideas were received
The audience was as noisy as any that
ever occupied Metropolitan Temple More
over. tho discussion on the subject was
general throughout the country. Three
Of the papers criticized the thesis which
/ had advanced. or. rather. having no
case. abused me because being what they
called a returned American" Z ventured
10 express an opinion about the country
I'm which l was born. There are certain
Irish politicians who believe that people
who live In this country have only one
function In life. and that Is 70 contribute
cash 20 the various funds which these
politicians start from time to time for
their own greater honor and glory
The secret Of the criticism was found In
the suspicion 81 the politicians who
run the Freeman's Journal that the new
movement would take all the wind out
Of their sails. The Irish parliamentary
ans are beneath contempt. Their betrayal
OF Parnell. their scandalous squabbles for
the last ten years. their cynical indlRer-
ence to the good OF the country. have
destroyed whatever influence they may
have had. Their new leagues and new
movements are nothing but pale inef-
fectual piece clubs. Their average mental
caliber is about on level with that OF our
statesmen. The organization OF
the county councils has thrown them into
the background. The center OF Irish in
terest has shifted from Westminster 70
the Irish towns. The Gaelic League
would make the people forget that there
was such a place as Westminster and.
having made them forget II. the people
would be nearer independence Michael
Davit was right. Ireland never got any
thing from England except by force. The