The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-10-13
Ireland Owes a Heavy Debt to a
Plucky Journalist.
RAISED HIS COUNTRY TO Her FEET
Is Hated by Both Landlords and
Foreign Officials.

At a recent meeting at Tullamore,
Kings county, 7. P. O'Connor, M. r.,
paid an eloquent and highly deserved
tribute to William O'Brien, to whose
genius and patriotism is to be attrib-
uted the national revival in Ireland
which is making the landlords and the
foreign garrison tremble in their shoes.
In the course of his address he said:
II have told you you ought to have
an organization. Now, what organiza-
ton ought you to have? loud cries of
The United Irish League and cheers.)
I only know Of one organization on our
side. There may be others. 1 don't
know them. AS have said over and
over again, if two organizations or
three were offered to me, would say:
Let me hear what each particular one
has to say for ITSELF and when 1 had
carefully considered the claims of
each would make my choice. But
that is not the position. We have only
one organization. You have either to
choose the United Irish League or
haze no organization at all. loud
cheers. ).-.And therefore T make this
statement loudly and plainly that any
man who does not want the United
Irish League does not want any or
ganization at all; and go on from that
to make this second statement, and to
make it as broadly and plainly as the
organization in Ireland does not want
Ireland to be free. Is not that clear,
is it not common sense? (Cheers.)
"But the people say, 'Oh, it's the
United Irish League. We would be
willing to join the right kind of an
organization, but we don't want this
kind Of an organization (Laughter.)
But what is the matter with this Or
.ganization? I only know one objec-
ton to it. have read nearly every
thing that can be said against it. You
know whenever saint comes before
the court of the Pope to be canonized
there is always one of the cardinals
employed as the DEVILS advocate, who
is put up to say all he can against the
saint. Well, have consulted the dew
lis advocate, and I have tried to find
out everything that couA I'd be said
against the United Irish League, and
now what does it all come to? 1t all
comes to abuse of William O'Brien.
loud cheers.) Aye, gentlemen, they
did not abuse William O'Brien when
he was in Jail in Tullamore fighting for
Ireland. Was he a good man then?
(Cries Of The best and cheers.) What
has he done since to make him a bad
man? Ever since he has been fighting
for Ireland (cheers)-devoting himself
to Ireland. William O'Brien has raised
Ireland to her feet.
"I'll tell you something Of William
O'Brien. I'll tell you all the DEVILS ad-
vocate has to say against him. For ten
years Ireland has been divided, for ten
years Ireland has been discontinued,
for ten years Ireland has been lying
down instead of standing up and fac
ing the world, as she did ten years ago.
Many men have come to the farmers CT
ireland and have said: ireland is
dead; she has not another kick left in
her. All wise men have got to do now
is to follow the example Of other wise
men in past generations, and as they
cannot save Ireland, make the most
they can out of Ireland, get places for
themselves and friends, and put money
in their pockets Now, that is what
a number of them were saying, ana
are saying, but that was not what Will
liam O'Brien said. loud cheers.) He
acknowledged that Ireland was divid-
ed, that Ireland was depressed, that
Ireland was apathetic. But he said:
Wait. 1t is only little slumber she
is in. BY and by her glorious eyes
will open once more, and her fair form
will rise to it's old life and it's old
strength. Ireland said O'Brien, is
not dead, but sleepeth.' tCheers.)
And he came to her and he spoke I'M
to her ear the old words Of hope and
courage, and Ireland has risen to her
feet, and that is what O'Br!en has
done, and that is O'Brien's crime.
prolonged cheers)
"Now, l have told you the real in
wardness of the attack upon O'Brien.
It is because when other men were in