The Washington times., 1902-10-05
UNITED ACTION ASKED.

At the opening of the twentieth cen-
tury Irishmen should open new era.
The folly of dissension should now be
fully known II we read history intelli-
gently we should profit by the successes
| and avoid the errors of the ancients.
Our great stumbling block heretofore
| has been dissension. The mission Of the
A. o. H. is to unite our people, to avoid
dissension, to instill into the minds OF
our members respect for constituted
authority and a proper regard on the
part OF the minority for majority rule.
We all aim at the same result, but per-
haps may differ as to how that result
may be brought about.
People aiming at the same result
should always be friends. never enemies.
II this much-to-desired result is to be
brought about we must follow only the
motto of our beloved order-Friendship
Unity, and Christian Charity. Under this
banner there Is room enough-there is
glory-enough for all. While we rec
ognize that this motto may be repug-
nant to the interests of a Cromwell.
a Caesar, or Napoleon, vet the
sooner our people realize that this or
der is engaged in the upbuilding Of
race not only at home but abroad and Is
not conducted for the interest of indf-
viduals, then the sooner the mission OF
the A. o. II. will be understood. We
struggle for the success of our race and
for the advancement of our order as the
best means of uniting and educating our
people, believing that by this course this
mother country will reach the proud po-s
sition in the family of nations which
Providence has destined her to fill.
Whatever remains to be done for Ire
land and Irishman land it is much) can
never be done by generals alone. There
must be some below that rank. If, how
ever, we can present, when the interests
OF our race require 1t, at home or
abroad, a united front, all our people
intent upon the same result and with
one voice asserting our rights. we be-
iieve that voice would be most potent
in advancing the interests of our race.
We desire to prevent the denationali-
zation Of Ireland. to restore her lam
guage, literature, and nationality. His
tory shows that the destruction of the
language of people is the first, step
taken by conquerors. We propose to re-
store tke language of Ireland, and to
that end the Denver convention contrib
uted literally to the Gaelic League to
promote the teaching of the Irish
language.
In the higher education of our people
the A. o. H. has done much in the past,
and will continue the good work. We
should also do all in our power to en-
courage and advance our young men in
their chosen walks Of life, knowing that
the greater the number of prominent
men We have the greater will be the in
fiuence of our people. and the greater
will be the respect paid them.
To bring about that unity we recon-
mend, first, education. Let this be
brought about through our order. Let
the demands, the needs, the aspirations
of the Irish people be brought before the
meetings of our divisions by able and
eminent men in whom our people have
confidence. Let such men discuss the
needs of Irishmen at home and abroad
Let US now conduct a campaign Of edu-
cation. We should show to our younger
members what Irishmen were, are, and
will he in the future.
To that end il is recommended that ex-
ercises of literary character should be
conducted in every division wheresoever
located. especially during the winter
months. These exercises should contain
nothing that is degrading to Irish char
acter. The resolutions adopted at the
Denver convention will indicate the class
of exercises or literature which is
barred. There is much in Irish charac-
ter. literature. and language which can
well engage and does engage the atten-
tion of the most learned, and the days
are past when Irishmen must submit to
such foul caricatures Of their race as
we sometimes see on and OFF the stage.
We sincerely hope and deyoutly wish
that each meeting of every division Of
the A. o. H. will always be an occasion
of enjoyment and instruction to our
members: for we believe that this man.
ner OF conducting meetings is most con-
ducive to the results toward which true
Hibernians should aim.
The object and aims Of our order nat
urally incline frishmen toward it; and
now that we have an initiation ceremony
instructive, and second to
no other, this organization can be made,
and each division Of it can be mads
and should be made place where any
person. and particularly the young men.
may go for instruction and social
pleasure. Favored as we are by the
hierarchy, clergy, and those in high
and influential places, no one need be
ashamed, but all must be proud of be-.
longing to the A. o. Fl.
This order being, as it is, the greatest
irish society ever organized. can, with
The cooperation and assistance of all
,ur members. be made still greater, and
We should exhaust every effort to &C.
,omplish that end.
JAMES E. DOLAN,
National President, Ancient Order HI
bernians