The Irish standard., 1902-08-23


lifeline, and, deaf to her cries, bllnc
to her danger, they wasted their time
and energy in jealous pickering until
+ha victim of tihei' cruel neglecs sanE
to her death?
And what will posterity say OF US.
nav. what will our living flesh s.ns
blood in Ireland say Of us if we stano
idly by and waste our energy in debate
when Ireland, in tile agony of Il des-
perate struggle, calls out fer action!
Would you save her, there is 10 time
to be lost. While we stand weighing
in the scales of our carping judgment
the motives of the mon who are bat
fling for l1er existence, while we are
lulling our soporifc hearts in lethar-
eic dreams of national greatness, Erin
0ies i'll agony:
". children mine; wherever my
YnicH can penetrate your ears,
wherever my signs can reach your
laearsz, l call to you. My mountains
,,lu their heads as OF yore; my streams
sing natures songs; my lakes ana
dells are still the dimples of my once
fair face, my sturdy shores yet whip
back the encroaching waves; and the
same expanse of heavens blue cano-
pies my sea-girt isle; but my children.
where, o where, are they: Why
should this breast nurse It's children
for every land but it's own? Why,
year after year, should my Ife's
blood flow to foreign shores: l have
been generous to all nations; l gave
freely of the best within me: but now
exhausted nature cries out against
this constant drain. Duty to my chill
dren demands Il change; to preserve
yOllr inheritance l must be strong; and
these veins must course with other
blood than that of childhood, old age
and infirmity. The emaciating pro-
CESS of emigration is sapping the very
foundation of my life. To my children
in other lands: When you left my
side to seek your material fortune un-
der more f;lvorab bic skies, chided not,
but through the dim tears of mother
EaRU y. )ade you Gud-speed. What
upnlG [ 1T give l grudged you not.
Zen n. k from me THE material aid
q Vun strength and counsel; you left
with e, your aged and intirm to bat
tie with my enemies. l took up your
charge and mine more sacred to me
because of their dependence. While /
struggled for their material advance
ment and comfort, l never lost sight
of the national aspirations of my chill
dren. If l, unlike other nations, have
not been able to deliver to my children
the birthright Of freedom, l have, at
beast, kept pure and unsullied the
standard committed to my hands. And
you, in your eXiled homes, have al
ways been true to the land of your
birth; whether in expressions of love.
In material contributions to my suffer
ing children, or in the pledge and risk
Of life to bear aloft my flag. my moth
er-heart is always bowed i'll grateful
recognition of your tilial devotion. But
perhaps the very ardor of your love.
your all-consuming desire to place
upon my brow the wreath of nation
...-s..s. Aihs matie your Impotence for
DotfU the barriers THAT run counter
~ 90 hopes. You have looked long
md : tulul, towards my hilltops
anE G team of the t ,rcl THAT would
rght THE dawn of better days; but
SUCCESS in arms does not come at the
beck of the weak, the hungry and the
helpless. If you want a nation OF
fighters you must first hive a nation
of men-men young, strong, active, i'll
dependent, men who can make and
keep homes that will add to patriotism
the stake that makes victories and
heroes.
When it comes to matters Of minor
we proceed upon the line
of caution and wisdom. Mat our fish
and game may not become extinct we
pass laws protecting them for certain
periods of the year, and i'll some states
for a period of years preventing their
sale on expectation, lest sport should
be the victim of slaughter and our
fields and streams be robbed of the
life that enhances their attractiveness.
We have our forestry laws that aim
to restore to the banks. of our streams
n the march of commercial greatness.
But like the red children of the
plains, to whom the crack of the rifle
and the wild believing and paving
of the dying buffalo brought no warm
ing that the day would come whep
they might scan the plains from SUP
to sun and look in vain for the dust
cloud that once heralded THE approach
Of their flvGl'ite game, 50 We too.
each day stand upon the dock with out
stretched hands to welcome the Irish
emigrant, envious to share our pros
perity; every outgoing mail is loaded
with our offerings which are the
passports that bring to our shores
thousands Of Irish enligrants; while
we, in the joy. of having with us our
kindred and friends, are Needless of
the vacant chairs, the deserted fire.
sides, the depopulated parishes which