Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-06
IRISH. LEADERS HERE
i
Messrs: Redmond and Devlin
Cali on the President.
OBJECT OF THEIR VISIT
ARE M AME41cA. TO ORGANIZE
BRANCHES oFr1FF1sH LEAGUE.
Both Talk Of the Progress Made in Bet
tering the Conditions Of Peo-
pie In Ireland.

-
pie In Ireland.
William Redmond and Joseph Deylin,
members from Ireland Of the British par
Lament, by prearrangement, paid their re-
spects to President Roosevelt at the White
House this afternoon. The gentlemen are
staying ri the New Willard, and will re-
main In she city until tomorrow. They
will be tealdered a reception in the parlors
OF the ho;el tonight by a number of local
Irish-Am.ricans. All persons interested in
the Unite,i Irish League are invited to at
tend.
Mr. Redmond who has served in par
lament continuously for twenty years, Is
a brother of John Redmond. the noted
Irish leas.er and chairman Of the Irish
party, wh9 visited this country several
months aEo in company with Mr.. ODon-
nell.
Object of Their Visit.
1--WE ar. in America for the purpose of
organizing branches OF the United Irish
League" Mr.. Deylin said to an Evening
Star reporter this afternoon. THE pur-
pose Of til, league is for national self-gov-
eminent or Ireland. The United League
has been Fin existence about four years.
ferent counties and towns in Ireland. 1t
is the onls national and political party in
our county.
LAS an evidence Of the work 1t is &C.
people of the United States to know that
1t has returned eighty-four out Of 100
members 20 the imperial parliament We
want to start branches in the United
States In order to prepare for a great ma
tional convention. which will be held in
New YORK; city the latter part of the pres
ent year or the fore part Of the coming
year. 1t yslli be convention composed en-
tirely Of Irish americans who are inter-
ester in the betterment OF conditions in
their matte land
bring the. Irish Of this country into CO.
operation with the people Of Ireland. We
have been in this country less than three
weeks AMI we have already started more
than sixty branches Of the United Irish
League In New York, Boston and Balti-
more and a number Of smaller cities. We
shall stay in the United States several
months longer and shall visit all the larger
cities.
Mass Meeting in Washington.
"Our present visit to Washington is only
for brief PERIOD but we shall return to
hold a mass meeting at a later date to be
determined.
I'm addition to the main purposes of the
league that have already given, desire
ton that the organization has achieved sue
cessful results for the struggling tenants
in western Ireland, where, owing to the
social conditions and landlord exactions.
the people were on the brink of starva-
ton. X
'Since the league was established public
opinion has changed all this. People on
the mountain lands are. in comparatively
comfortable condition. But to secure this
end a desperate fight had to be made, with
the result that nearly a dozen Of our col
leagues Of the Irish party in parliament
are in jail, serving terms varying from two
to six months. They are treated like or
binary criminals. are dressed In prison
garb. compelled to eat prison fare and sub
jected to prison discipline.
Those who are not in jail are carrying
on the fight. which will be continued until
all land is restored to the ancient owners
of the SOIL"
Mr.. Redmond Talks.
Mr.. Redmond has been for years inter-
ested In the work of improving the condi-
tons OF the people of his country. He came
to this country in 1882 on a mission SIM
liar to the present one.
1.-The United Irish League" he said has
done much toward uniting the people who
We're divided after Parnelrs disappearance
It Is making great fight on the land
question. Home rule for Ireland Is In. a
forward condition. Lord Rosebery has re-
jected home rule, but In spite OF that. II
LIE 1ElSu party Keeps unlIeus as dt pTeSeuI,
In the house Of commons the question is
bound to come UP again.
Rosebery, although going back on Glad
stones ideas for home rule. was not too
proud to remain in Office three years, first
as foreign secretary and then as prime
minister, and all through the Irish vote
The liberal party can never return to power
without the assistance of the Irish party.
1t is an influential body, and is Independent
of all English parties.
"Our desire is to make it unpleasant for
England. to embarrass her in every way
possible, as. for instance. in the Boer war.
which we have opposed Yehemently from
the very start, and shall continue to OPP
pose to the very end.
1.-The Irish party feels proud that it has
unanimously opposed the Boer war. It's
members in parliament have voted and
spoken against, have denounced it. We
are told that England is going to punish
US for it. but the Irish have never gone
back on the principle of independence. and
threats will not cause us to fOrsake the
principle now"
Since his arrival in this country Mr.. Dew
lin has received the news by cable Of his
election. without opposition, to the house
of commons from North Kilkenny.