The Irish standard., 1903-08-29
FINERTY's VIEWS.
President of United Irish League
Expresses a few Oninions.

Expresses few Opinions.
John f. Finerty, president of the
United Irish League i'll America, has
issued an address in which he con-
graduates the Irish parliamentary
leaders and the Irish people generally
OH the passage of the Land Bill"
Mr.. Finerty also denounces in Ian
guage most vigorous those who have
opposed the league and it's president.
We give the address III full:
Friends and Fellow Citizens:
In formally announcing to American
citizens of Irish birth or descent, and
to all others whom it may concern,
the passage of the Irish Land Pur-
chase bill by the British parliament,
l think it incumbent on me, as head
of the United Irish League of Ameri
ca, to give some expression to my
sentiments in that connection. l con-
graduate Ireland OH the victory she
has achieved, and congratulate those
of her children, both at home and
abroad, who have aided her in Win
ming the great battle for the posses
sion of the land. l congratulate, in
particular. John Il. Redmond, the
Irish leader: William O'Brien, John
Dillon, Thomas Power O'Connor and
Michael Davitt. who are the recOg-
nized chiefs of the Irish people, both
in Tpa nd Ir;% ,,;, 4
though Mr.. Davitt is not entirely sat
isfied with the bill, he is the undeni-
able Father of the land reform move
ment, and his criticisms will have
the good effect of showing that Eng
fish craftsmanship, however favor
able to certain Irish measures, is new
er infallible. and that no reform of the
grievances of centuries is perfect and
unopen to amendment. "Final settle
ments' are always dangerous expert
ments, and Ireland, having suffered
from them i'll the past, as in 1861 and
1888. is wise i'll not acquiescing too
much in that style of British legisla-
ton. John z. Redmond himself said
during the debate OH the third reading
of the Land Bill i'll the House of Com
mons. that the Irish party would not
hold itself responsible for some things
retained in it and other things eXclud-
ell from it. thus inferring that the flu
ttlre would demand imperatively some
vital amendments. l think that some
among the Irish leaders have given
too much credit to Edward VII. for
his alleged share in the passage of the
bill, which WAS won by the courage
and perseverance Of Il majority of the
Irish race. and much regret that
too many Irisllmen are readily won by
the bows and smiles of Il Crowned
head" but not more so than many
American republicans. ito the manor
born," who. in New York ana other
cities. if the English king We're to
visit them. would make even greater
fools of themselves than the Irish
tlunkeys did in Dublin. Belfast. Cork
and other principal towns of Ireland.
Human nature. in general. has Il tend
ency toward the worship of br:,zen
images, and some of the Irish are 10
exception to the rule. The evil of
dignant thunder are unlleard by til,
dull ears of the worshippers of the
golden fatted calf even in Ireland.
On the other hand, the fanatics who
have advocated open insult to the
English monarch on the soil of the
land he came to in the capacity of /;
tourist. accompanied by his wife, were
merely cheaply valorous and as insin-
cere as they We're mischievous and
impotent. The Irish masses did the
right thing. They kept away from the
royal show and cheered only for Ire
land. l have to return my cordial
thanks to National Secretary John
O'Callaglan, National Treasurer
Thomas B. Fitzpatrick. Vice-Presi-
dents Patrick Egan and Michael J.
Redding, and the members of the Ma
tional Executive and Organizing Com
mittee for the faithful and most eff
cient services they have rendered to
the cause since the formation of the
United Irish League of America, Now
10. 1901, in New York, and it's reor-
ganizatiOn at the Boston convention
in October 1902. In the course of the
struggle I have come in for much
abuse from men who should have
been the Leagues most earnest sup
porters, but who from personal malice,
rampant selfishness or incurable incon-
sistency have been it's fiercest oppon-
ents and foulest traducers. However,
in the hour of victory l will refrain
from mentioning their names lest in
the agony of their shame they should
fling themselves for relief into fiery
furnace and thus anticipate their
spiritual torments beyond the grave.
l will leave them to Gods punish
ment. but will take leave to say that.
during forty years of active service
in the cause Of Ireland. the enemies
of my native country have been I'M
able to find flaw in my career: and
if there are alleged friends in Ireland
who are also enemies of mine. and
who accuse me. invite them to
name single instance in which 1
have brought discredit on either Ire.
land or America. or wavered in loyal
~ 10 III