The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-08-19
MESSAGE TO THE IRISH RACE.

livered by Archbishop Ireland in the
opera house at Cork on the evening of
the Goth OF last month, after his arrival
from England where he had addressed
the Catholic laity OF that country as re-
ported in these columns. We confess
that after reading his London speech in
which he declared that England was one
OF the two countries which lead in the
great development OF liberty and prayed
God to bless it, we feared he would be
accorded very cool reception in Ire
land, but particularly in rebel Cork, if
he spoke to his countrymen on the tenn
perance question. But Archbishop Ire
land is man of personal magnetism,
and he had no difficulty in convincing
the large and enthusiastic Cork audience
that he was true friend of Ireland in
speaking to them on the total abstinence
principles OF Father Mathew. The adj
dress he delivered to the Corkonians is
perhaps the ablest effort of his life on
the subject OF sobriety, and what he said
to them can be read with profit by the
Irish race abroad as we'll as at home.
1t may be said by Irishmen with truth
that their country is the most temperate
OF all the European nations and that the
Irish people consume less intoxicants
by far in proportion to population than
either England or Scotland. That is a
fact borne out by government statistics
as was demonstrated by Hon. Edward
Blake, M. P, in his crushing reply to
Arthur Balfour in the House of Com
mons during the debate on the over
taxation OF ireland, when the Tory lead
er sarcastically declared that the taxa
ton could be materially decreased if the
Irish drank less whisky. In 1891, after
making prolonged tour of Europe,
MIR. Kelley, OF chloride-of-gold fame,
pronounced ireland the most temperate
country he visited. The writer was in
formed by the noted temperance advo-
cate, Rev. ]. M. Cleary, OF Minneapolis,
that in his extensive travels through Ire
land about ten years ago he met but one
man under the influence of liquor, and
that was in the North OF ireland where
Orangemen predominant. The writer
himself made an extended tour through
ireland few years ago and found the
inhabitants quite abstemious in their
habits. Notwithstanding all that, the
people drink mach more than they
ought to, and there are more public
houses than are necessary for the good
OF the people. The Archbishop told his
audience that there were 10000 saloons
in Ireland, of which Cork city had SIC.
That would give one dram shop to every
$50 inhabitants throughout the country,
including men, women and children,
and one licensed house to every 126 per-
sons in Cork He showed from statis-
tics that last year there were consumed
in Ireland beer and spirits to the value
OF nearly 10000, 900, land yet" he said,
we talk OF the poverty and misery to
which so many of the Irish people are
doomed" He went further and gave
the number OF arrests made in ireland
in 1896 and said if the causes that led to
them were examined it would be found
that directly or indirectly, ninety-five
per cent of them could be traced to in
temperance. Instead of being displeas-
ed with such facts and figures as were
presented to them, the generous people
OF Cork applauded the significant utter
ances OF the Archbishop most enthu-
siastically and rendered him cordial
vote OF thanks at the expiration of his
discourse, which lasted one hour and
fifty minutes.
Archbishop Ireland is not considered
much OF an Irish patriot by some of the
advanced Nationalist, so-called, but if
the Irish people at home and abroad
heed what he says on the liquor ques-
ton his future biographer will rank him
among the benefactors of his race. In
the course of his address he referred to
patriotism as follows:
ooh! I listen enraptured at times to
the words-Ireland Nation People
talk to me of the aspirations of the Irish
people. What is the use? Why speak
OF aspirations, of future hopes, until you
have taken away from the land the
enemy OF all those aspirations and of all
those hopes? Patriotism is a virtue
commended by and blessed by heaven.
Patriotism is not mere words, it is not
the will-o'-the-wisp efforts. 1t is stead
fast devotion to the true interests of the
land, even at great personal sacrifice. l
hear of men ready to give up their lives
for their country. 1t may be, but can
not believe they are so ready to give up
their lives for the country when they
cannot give up the bottle, whether to
preserve themselves from intemperance
OF, to lead their countrymen to temper
ance.
Oh! it is we'll to think of the past; it
is well, and mingle with you in talk
ing OF
The days OF old,
Ere her faithless sons betrayed her,
When Malachy wore the collar of gold.
But the past is past; this is question
of the present and a question of the