The Irish standard., 1901-11-02

In view of the arrival of the British
envoys in this country the following
article by William O'Bricn in the
Dublin Irish People should be of spe-
cial interest to every lover of Ireland
in the United States:
For nearly decade of years the
Irish people in the United States and
in Australia and other British colonies
remained for the most part rigidly
aloof from Irish political movements.
1t was not so in other days.
The wild Geese" of Ireland who
winged their way from the shores of
their tortured country ,>,ring the
eighteenth century to fight the battles
of Europe, und sigh, all in vain. for
zone day upon our own dear land,
Like this ut Fontcnoy,"
never loved Ireland more passionatcly
and never hated England more hearth
ly or fcrvcntly than the sons of the
millions of Irishmcn who were driven
over the ocean when the landlords,
backed by the British government, put
into force u policy of organized OK
termination after the great national
catastrophe of 1SlG-iS. Mr.. Gladstone
Ovcrtlrcw the ascendant church in
Ireland because of "thc intensity OF
Fcnanism.' Fcnianism was Gin
tense IN the country, no doubt; but
organized by Stephens was most pow
crful and mcnacing, the British gov
crnmcnt looked trcmulously at Amcri-
ca rather than at Ireland. With the
Irish at home they could deal.
Butts struggle for home rule won
lukcwarm sympathy rather than cor
dial support from the cXilcs of Erin
in the States, although the "IIomc
Rule Confederation of Great Britain"
was in the forefront of the struggle.
But when the Land League, like Il
young giant nflnmc with the passion
for combat, arose on the ruins of the
older and essentially 'pnrliamcnt,,-
rinn" movement, Irish America awak-
ened, and, after Davitt had prepared
the way for Pnrncll and Dillon in
1879, our cOuntrymcn In the States
once again became potent factors In
the destinics of their own lnnd--:lnd
of the world. Ireland was In Il state
Of turmoil for years; ana during these
years the Irish in Americn subscribed
scores of thousands of pounds in aid
OF the national cause. We venture to
say that never was money so well
spent in the service of Ireland. Here
at home we had to fight against the
empire which can afford to pour out
three times the purchase value OF the
land of our country in the vain effort
to conquer two South African repub-
lies. And, leaving out of account all
that has been won for Ireland since
the days of the Land League, the fact
that the Irish party in parliament and
the Irish national organization mt
home have humbled England's power
and pride almost as much as the Beers
themselves, and brought her vauntcd
parliamentary institutions into con-
tempt before the nations of the earth
and this with the aid Of only one
small section of Irish cXilcs, our kin
tlrcd in Great Britain-Oug1it to prove
to the millions of our race across the
Atlantic that If they throw their vast
Influence and almost illimitablc
strength and resources into the scale
in favor OF the present national move
mcnt. victory for the people capable
of accomplishing SO much unai1ed
must be speedily assured.
One of the most malignant of all the
iingO and anti-Irish organs published
in London quite recently published an
article from a New York correspond
ent which ought to he reproduced in
every Irisll-American paper. The
writer Of the article In question