The Irish standard., 1903-09-26
If We Who Come From America to Ireland
Cannot Find Something to Praise,
Let Us Keep Silent.
Better Far to Look for the Points of Agreement
Rather Than Use Search Lights
for Points of Difference.

Edward NJ. Lahiff, Of Chicago, who
was for many years Mayor Harrison's
private secretary and who is now II
member of Mayor Harrson's cabinet,
has been spending his vacation in Ire
land. his native land. He recently de-
livered in Aghada, Ireland, before Il
meeting of Nationalists, the following
address, which is reprinted from the
Dublin Irish People:
If 1 needed an introduction to an
Aghada audience I do not think
could better commend myself to your
good graces than by reading, as I
shall, a letter from one of a family
whose name is certainly a symbol Of
Irish Nationality. William Dillon, son
of the pure-souled patriot John Blake
Dillon, brother of the high-minded,
sincere, and earnest John Dillon, and
who himself is a credit to our race,
intended to be present at this confer
,ence to-day (cheers). He finds it i'm
possible to be present, and asks me in
stead to read this letter to you:-
"AIy Dear Lahiff-Nothing would
have given me greater pleasure than
to be with the NatioElsts of Aghada
next Sunday-men whose fame as
fighters in the cause of Irish national
ity will not soon fade-but find it i'm
possible to break an engagement al
ready made. Like yourself, am an
Ireland for the purpose of seeing old
friends, and studying the conditions at
present prevailing here. That being
so, it would be presumptuous on my
part to undertake to advise the tenants
here as to the best policy to be pursued
under existing circumstances. l
gather from what 1 have heard in
Dublin, that all the recognized leaders
of the National party are agreed in re-
garding this act as one that has in it
great possibilities of good. In fact, it
would be hard to set any limit to the
good it may do, provided it is rightly
administered, and provided that both
parties-landlords and tenants ap-
proach the all-important subject of
price in a just and reasonable spirit.
But upon each of these provisos much
depends. This much 1 may be per-
mitted to say; it seems to me that
there never was a time when it was
more Important for the popular party
in Ireland to maintain a strong organ
ization (cheers). If this act is to do
all the good that many hope for, it Is
vital that the tenants shall act de-
liberately, justly, and uritedly in the
price to be offered. Such action can
only be secured through organization.
measure of success, am, sir, yours
very sincerely,
WILLIAM DILLON"
"Some gentlemen who have taken an
nnduly deep interest in the visit of Mr..
Dillon, Mr.. Owens, and myself, have
worked themselves into belief that
ave are here on some mysterious mis-
sion. These gentlemen may make
their minds easy on that score, as cur
mission is merely to spend we'll
earned vacation in the loveliest land
on earth. We owe it to the kindness
of the Cork Young Ireland society, and
to the old-time feeling of brotherhood
ever active in Aghada, that we are
permitted to participate, even in a
humble way, in the effort to honor the
men who died that the spirit of Irish
nationality might live. The men whose
names are to be inscribed on the mon
ument, now in course Of erection in
Cork, believed in revolution as we do,
and instead Of criticizing them for not
having succeeded, we should, as we
do, honor them all the more for the
very fact that they were heroes
enough to engage in what they must
have regarded as almost forlorn hope.
These men, inspiring in their lives,
heroic in their deaths, were more con-
cerned with battling against the foe
than in condemnng and denouncing
their own countrymen who differed