The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-04-28
SATISFYING NATIONAL ASPIRATIONS
Seizure of "United Irishman" is
Typical Stupidity.
A MILLION PEOPLE VISITED DUBLIN
Reception Account by the Times
Is a Pure Invention.

When Queen Victoria departs there
| will be hearts depressed and ullagones
among the loyalists, the big shopkeep.
ers and those who reverence titles, but
among the people ut large she "never
| will be missed" says the Dublin spe-
cial correspondent Of the Chicago
Chronicle. Tho event, in fact, will be
4 relief to them, for it will lift from
their feelings weight which courtesy
and native gallantry have imposed.
Her majesty, apparently, has been en-
joying herself rs fully as woman Of
her age could be expected to do, and
I she has exhibited throughout n gra-
| ciOusncss and tact that becomes royal
ty. Either she herself or those in
charge of her daily program have
| shown Judgment in not exploiting her
visit rs part Of u political campaign
against national demands and aspira-
tions, and this being so there has been
, little or no excuse for outbreaks of
popular disloynlty. The attitude Of
the masses toward the aged sovereign
has not been enthusiastic, but it has
been respectful, and il the general alb
scnce Of popular protest be miscon-
strucd in England it cannot be helped.
Indeed, the unionist press and orators
across the channel are already shout
ing that Ireland is not only loyal, but
prosperous and contentcd, which
makes it pretty hard for the national
lists TO he patient and let the loyalist
and shonccn holiday so on undis-
turbcd
Thaclleray once wrote of Dublin that
it was impossible in Il summers day
to see Il handsomcr city with fewer
people in it, but IL his visit had oc-
Cured u few days ago his remark
would he pOintlcss. Dublin has been
crowded and congcsted with probably
a million Of people from all over Ire
land and the United Kingdom. Masses
| Of people, orderly ami curious, have
filled the great squares and splendid
streets which the pungcnt satirist
found vacant Of human life and busi-
ness activity His comment is a bitter
| condemnation Of the act Of union, on
the centenary anniversary Of which
| her majesty set out for these shores.
When Ireland had parliament Of her
own and n resident aristocracy, gener-
GUS and brilliant this beautiful city on
| the Liffey was one Of the most bril-
liant, cultured and delightful capitals
in the world. With the destruction Of
Irclands parliament, by the most in
famous fraud and bribery, the aris-
! tocracy, the men of letters and of art
and the ambitious fed from it, and
| since then 1t has been what the French
| call "vegetating," merely existing in a
patient and Respondent way, with it's
proudest boasts and memories those of
| the past.
Yet the outlook for brighter times Is
in the patriot vision. Home rule can
! not be long withheld, and who knows
| but what the present royal visit may
be the first step toward its attainment?
Outside of England, in every depend
ency Of her imperial crown, her majes-
TVS long reign has been one Of wars,
famines, brutal conquests and mis-
cries, and maybe she is anxious at the
close of her career to signalize it by
one act of national justice. Outside
Of her personality as woman there Is
not glory shining around her name;
let her try and restore to Ireland it's
ancient autonomy, and at least one
glcam of Immortality will accompany
her otherwise colorless life to the sep
ulchcrs of her discredited and unloved
predecessors.
And she would better hasten in the
performance, too, else the glory will
gild the brow of her long expected heir,
the royal roue Albert, who is credited
with being a royal good fellow, and
who. feels, 1t is said, that the time has
come to make Ireland "a nation once
again."
Anyway, until this country is ac-
corded self-government, with the lib
erty and prosperity it will bring with
it, there never will be loyalty in Ire
land, whatever loyalists may say. The
Irish, as DR.. johnson said, are good
haters, but Victoria may easily placate
that feeling and change 1t into one Of