The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-06-28

cred splendid GRAFTON on June 10 be
fore the graduating law class OF the
University of Nebraska and thcl
friends and fcllow-studcnts ut Lincoln,
Ncb., his subject being Matt mlity
VS.. Empire" Chancellor II. Benjamin.
Andrews, clad in his full robes of
Office, introduced him as the orator of
the evening, and lie was cordially re-
ccived. In the course of his address
Mr.. Fincrty said:
The world owed much to small ma
tionalitics. They did more in the maxi
ing of history, from the days of Milti-
ades TO those of Paul Kruger great
applausc) than all the great empires
thrown into one. And they were all
ut peace, although the war clouds still
fingered over the battleields OF South
Africa, where British military rcnown
had sunk under the volleys Of the
burghcr. (Applausc.) There England
could not compel Il peace, but she pur-
chased it by another raid upon her war
chest. Would that he (Mr. Eincrty)
could say, with a good conscience that
we had not been accessories to the
British crime! Would that lie could
say we had been honestly neutral!
Would that lie could say we had not
been the passive allies Of the enemy Of
the Bocrs Great applausc)
Some people would cal this politics.
daughter. But he (Mr. l'incrty) was
not in politics, except as II private cti-
zcn-hc simply east his vote, rs every
American citizen should cast his, to
maintain the principles he advocated.
(Greut applallsc) We had sold the
British mules for the almighty dollar,
and without the American mule the
British soldier would have had to 81
Oh foot, ana the Beers would have
preserved their Independence as well
us their fighting record, llncXanlplcd in
the history of arms. Great npplaiHc)
lie did not wish to libel the Amcri,
can mules in exile. (ChccrS and laugh
teri They were not to blame, ana he
must say of the patient and patriotic
animals that they felt ashamed of
tlIcmsclvcs-t instincts told them
they were on the wrong side; ald,
whenever favorable opportunity Offered
under fire, they Immediately broke files
to the rear and ran over everything
military behind them, closely accOmpa-
MED by the chivalry Of England, on
whose vanishing coat-tails not even the
swift-liding Beers could lay the tradi-
tional grain of salt. Great laughter
and applause)
lie was sorry to have read in an
able Nebraska newspaper that morning
an article which upheld the British
and threw the blame Of beginning the
war on the Beers. How could any
American editor take such Il position IN
the face of such solid facts? Did the
Beers begin the war of 1881, when
they slew Sir George Collry and routed
his English column at Majuba Hill?
(Applausc) Did they begin the war in
1896 when, with the revealed conniv-
nnce of English statesmen, Dr.. Jane
son organized his buccanrering raid on
Johannesburg and Pretoria? But, in
the late war, says the editor, the Beers
issued their ultimatum, crossed the
Natal frontier and attacked the Eng
lish forces. True, but what business
had the English forces TO be mnsscd on
Il peaceful frontier? If Il man detect
burglars about to enter his house to
steal his property and cndanScr the
lives Of himself and family, does he
wait until the rascnls have entered be-
fore he sounds the alarm and strikes in
defense of his hearth and those dear
to him? The Beers knew the English
meant war, and they simply anticipat-
cd the attack, rs they had perfect
right to do History would justify
their conduct and put to shame those
who wantonly accused them.
But the other small nations? How
tranquil! Denmark, shorn of Schles-
wig -Holstcin, still presents an indepen-