The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-03-17
ST. PATRICK'S DAY.

This is Irelands day. Her true sons
and faithful daughters, wherever
found, consecrate this day to memoir
les of sweet Innisfail, to the history
and the hopes of her people. And there
is something in the experience Of Ire
land, in her pathetic struggle for lib
erty against the power from which this
republic 50 narrowly escaped, which
finds a sympathetic chord in every true
American heart.
Through seven centuries this strug-
gle for independence has been going
on: for seven centuries the tyrant
power has beat the irish patriot down;
for seven centuries this devotion to
liberty and to me therland has never
waned. Floods of tears have not
washed it out. Rivers Of blood have
not carried away its strength. Storms
Of signs have shaken it but it stands
today like mighty oak.
Impoverished, insulted, in bondage
and in rags the motherland is still be-
loved of her sons and daughters. Out
of her tears she smiles. Upon the rack
of extortion she has sung of liberty and
OF hope. She has worn the manacles
Of so-called superior civilization"
while teaching the world the magic Of
science and of song. She has played
the harp with handouts On, and carved
her name with the sword of courage
upon the tablets of every leading ma
ton of the earth The proud spirit of
her people has never been broken The
heart of Ireland is true as steel.
The conquerer has not stripped the
Gael of his sacred belief in the rights
and traditions Of his country From
McMurrough's treachery to the latest
whine of an Anglicized Irishman, from
Strongbows invasion to Tory threats,
there has been no faltering in the
avowed purpose of Irishmen for
twenty-one generations to secure in
dependence for their country some
time, somehow.
There are hundreds Of thousands of
American citizens of Irish descent
They believe in freedom. They came
here to worship at the shrine Of lib
erty. they are bound ~ and so is
their posterity with the dNStinies of this
republic. And so the scoffers ASK what
interest have they in Ireland now
What have Americans to do with Ire
lands days and hopes and political con-
ditions? In the very nature of things
the American heart should beat in
unison with every people struggling fol-
liberty, and should applaud, encourage
and. if possible. assist every atten,,t al
popular government wherever made.
We DO not appreciate fully the bless.
ings Of liberty unless we feel an inter.
est and take a pride in the development
in other lands of the republican prin-
ciples we profess and practice. Wher.
ever the masses are oppressed by in.
vaders we naturally sympathize witt
the oppressed. We have not forgotten
our own trials, our own experience witt
external rulers, our own need Of aiC
and encouragement. our own obliga
tions to outside sympathy when ",
drove back the invader.
And whenever a patriot falls il
fighting for the independence Of hi
people. whatever his faith. his tongue
his lineage or his color. it is the wal
Of his republic to mourn for tn
MARTYR to the cause she represents an,
tvpifies. 1t makes no difference whethe
his blood runs out upon the SHOWS o
Poland or his soul takes flight amonl
the shades of classic Greece. whethe
his last breath floats into eternity Of
an Alpine breeze or the axe of a crue
and corrupt ministry descends upon hi
head in suffering Erin. America at
tests her love for liberty and her sym
pathy for the one who fell in tryini
to obtain the independence Of his PEG
pie.
When this republic can not do this i
viii be when honor and self respect ar
dead. When a nation which achieves
it's beloved freedom by sacrifices o
blood and treasure. drawn from it's owl
people and from other lands, forgets {
feel for others, It viii be time to re
move from the harbor of our nationa
metropolis that colossal emblem, tina
appropriate gift of the land O
afayette-"Liberty Enlightening tn
World"
In the dark days preceding the Amer
can reveIotion when Benjamin Frank