The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-02-03
FOR THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM.

Notwithstanding the persistent oppo-
sltlon OF the Mckinley press to any
public expressions OF sympathy for the
brave burghers OF South Africa in their
heroic struggle for republican self-gov-
eminent, the liberty-loving citizens OF
Minneapolis turned out last Sunday in
vast numbers to cheer the Beers and
wish them success in defense of their
homes and fresdes. The prominent
Republicans who were invited to be
present remained away, because they
feared that ILLUSIONS would be made to
the friendliness OF the Washington adj
ministration to the British monarchy,
and that Mckinley would be criticised
Tor his criminal aggression" in the
Philippines.
One of the leading Republicans of the
city, Ex-Governor John S. Pilsbury,
published letter against the meeting,
in which he said: 81 think it some
what uncallcd for to agitate the mixed
question of the Boer war when we have
matters of Our own to attend to. We
had better take care of our own national
affairs and leave other nations to take
care OF theirs" This profound utter
ance of the Flour King was heartily
endorsed by the organs OF commercial
ism, and many Republicans, whose
sympathies are for freedom the world
over, thought it better to stay in their
homes instead of going to the EXPOSE
ton building with the thermometer IS
degrees below zero. They were not
missed very much, however; and in flu
ture the people have determined to get
along without them when meetings for
republican liberty versus monarchical
despotism are convened in this city:
The same Republicans who think 1--WE
had better take care Of our own ma
tional affairs" frequently in the past
twisted the lions tail most vigorously,
and denounced British free trade in all
the modes and lenses. They succeeded
in bamboozling voters into the belief
that the Republican party was the true
American party; but under the guild
ance of Mark Hanna they have changed
their tune, and cannot consistently adj
vocate human liberty any longer The
party OF Lincoln is no more except in
name, and freedom shrieks" without
attracting the attention of it's latter day
leaders, who think it is uncalled for "to
agitatc the mixed question Of the Boer
war when we have matters of our own
to attend to- as John S. Pillsbury sa-
gaciously remarks. The fact is, there
is nothing beneficial to the Republican
party in the Boer war, and that is why
the followers OF Mark Hanna leave
other nations alone.
In another place we give the speeches
made at the Boer meeting by Governor
Lind. Mayor Gray, Father Cleary and
Judge Prcntiss. They all have the true
American ring to them, and they struck
a responsive chord in the hearts of the
auditors, who cheered them to the echo
Governor Lind in clear-cut language
showed the worthlessness OF England S
claim to suzcrainty over the Transvaal
republic; Mayor Gray felicitously roast
cd John Hay and called him can impor-
taton from London; Father Cleary
stgmatizcd England as the bully and
braggart of the nations, and exposed
her hypocrisy in accusing the Beers OF
religious intolerance when Catholics
are still Disseminated against in the
British Islands. The remarks OF Judge
Prentiss, who is "quarter English, quar-
ter Irish, quarter Scotch and quarter
Dutch" we're applauded to the echo,
and the resolutions read by Chairman
Larrabec we're unanimously adopted by
a rising vote.
The meeting was non-partisan,
though no Republicans spoke word
for freedom. As the representative Of
the Pioneer Press states, perhaps nine
Cut Of every ten of the $500 persons
present were working men, and the
Irish element was particularly we'll rep
resented" The fact is that the A. Q. H.
of Hennepin county was chiefly instru,
mental in getting. up the meeting, and
! the same organization is largely re.