The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-10
Advantages Enjoyed by German Immigrants
and Others Over Those From
the Green Isle.
More Profound Ignorance in This Country
Regarding the Irish People
Than in Europe

At a recent meeting held in New
York for the purpose of raising none,
to erect n Hibcrnian institute. Hon
William McAdoo delivered the follow
ing address:
Ladies' and Gentlemen If His
Grace will absolvc me from the per-
vcrscncss of hercdity l can truthfully
say to you that ] feel honorcd and
pleased to he present this evening to
aid in any way the object of this meet
ing and in the building of an institute
which will represent not only the
patriotism but the faith of the ma
iority of my countrymcn. 1t is not
my purpose at this late hour to make
an extended address. was put for
ward here lest you might escape from
the hall without taking a practical part
in the object of the meeting; in fact,
my friend Major McCrystal, when he
asked me to come here this evening.
said to me: "YOu will not be required
to make any speech. If you do any
thing at all, YOU will simply grace tho
| meeting by your presence" AS q
coumtryman Of mine once said to an
other: "All we require Of YOU is ST.
lcncc. and devilish little of that"
G.aughtcr)
! want to congratulate the Ancient
Order ana this audience on the splcn-
didly uniform character of the adj
dresses, and without being invdious,
! want to add Il little. or refer, rather.
to my good friend the Secretary Of
State, Mr.. McDOnOugh. Like all
great speakers, he commenced by tell
ing us that lie could not make Il speech
at all. ana then proceeded most clo
quently to refute himself. Now, he
spoke OF the great part which the
Irish have taken in the Industries Of
this country, but he omitted one. l
had the honor some years ago. and the
great pleasure, OF entertaining her
Ladyship the wife of Lord Chief
Justice Russell aboard one of our war
ships, and during the course of the
conversation she referred to the very
great interest she took in Irish art.
ana she said to me: "NOw, in this
country, where Irish talent and genius
have Il free field and an equal oppOr-
tunity, are the Irish making any prog
rcss in that particular departments
"Wcll," | said, "your Ladyship, I as.
sumc that in these days of Rcdfcrns
and Wortls that what they call 'crca.
tions'-thc ladies will bear me out
are specimens of true art. If tllcst
creations of the mOtliste, which We
husbands only know by paying tho
bills, are in the field of true art, then
! take great pleasure in assuring yOul
LndyShip that all the French modistcs
on Fifth avenue are named Devlin
O'KciIly and O'Bricn." daughter and
applausc)
AS n sort Of resume of the address
cs which you have heard, ! think that
the Irish in America first passed
through what may be called the mill
tary period when they took such 8
striking and glorious and illustrious
part in the American Revolution and
in the wars which followed. We then
had in this country, SO far as the Irish
are concerned, what may be called an
Industrial period, and that period was
marked in n large degree by the emf
grations which followed the famine
period in Ireland.
1t is entirely true, as Mr.. Gargan
says, that the Irish took large and
conspicuous part in the Revolution
for which they have not gotten proper
credit; but It is equally true to say that
in the great industrial progress OF
America no people took SO great a
part, so large part, rs the unfortu'
nate victims Of the famine period who
were poured upon our shores penniless
and robbed of everything which ought
to have been their heritage. l might,
before pausing, say that the Irish i'm
migrant in America has been more
severely handicapped than those com.