The Irish standard., 1903-09-19


America, and addressing the Irish
through it, and they should appeal to
the patriotism of the Irish people in
America. Ii there be any bright
page in the history of emgrati ton, that
page was the page Which told OF the
love of the Irish in America for their
native land, and they had Il right to
appeal to-day i'll that sacred name to
their countrymen and women across
the Atlantic. Ireland, their mother
land, parted with them sadly and sore
them bread; in the near future, with
Gods help, Il different story would be
told; and when Ireland, striving to
rise from the depths into which she
had fallen, addressed her children
across the Atlantic to come and help
her. surely that appeal will not be
made in vain. He was very much i'm
pressed With Il sentence in the letter
read from Mr.. Davitt suggesting the
holding of Il congress ut the st. Louis
exhibition. At such Il congress those
leaders of the Irish people to whom
he had referred might he present,
where the question of emigration
might be threShed out from the
American point of view. as they were
at that moment met to thresh it out
from an Irish point OF view. and from
which an appeal, such us that to
which he had referred Il moment ago,
might be addressed to their eNiled fell
low -countrymen. They had also to adj
dress the Irish ut home; to point out
to them the dangers which attend the
gers of more than one kind, to body
and to soul, and they had TO enter into
details with regard to these matters
not to make vague general state
mcnts. but to get at all the facts, put
them before the people in no cNagycr-
ated form, for there was 10 need OF
eNaGgcration; to tell them the simple
unvarnishcu truth, to ask them to con-
slider whether they did we'll i'll emil
grating. There was also this to be
borne in mind, and that brought him
to say a word or two with regard to
what he thought must be considered II
very important function of the Anti
emigration society. and ii WAS this,
that there was no use whatever i'll
i,.i.. Al.
home until they managed to provide
remulerative work, and to provide al
so what was only of less Importance
than remuneratve work, that was, To
provide recreation and amusement for
them-to relieve the dizziness which at
tended the lives OF SO many, and
which, no matter how well Off they
might be from IL money point OF view
in this country, would never in these
days keep them ut home. They must
work in this matter in connection with
done in the country; they must work
it in connection with the Gaelic
League; they should get into conncc-
ton with those various committees
which were establishing public Ii
braries; all these must be dealt with
it emigration was to be removed. The
work before them was difficult, but
any society that took it up would
have the sympathy and support of all
classes in Ireland, by no matter What
name they might be called. 1t was a
common platform for every man, no
matter who he was, so long as he had
the heart and soul OF an lrishman at
all. He thought, too, that they would
have more support than probably most
people imagined from the Irish i'll
America; and in connection with this
matter there was one aspect which
portance, and also suggested Il great
deal of hope. lie wondered whether
it was IL dream that some day OIL
another i; number of their countrymel
in America, who had made wealth and
fame in that land might be induced tt
return at this critical period Of theil
netherlands existence, and to LEND
the help of their money and that
adaptability and knowledge which
they had acquired in the grcates
school of initiative and energy tina
the world had ever Sccn-the United
States of America. He could not he'll
thinking that one thing which would
largely contribute to lessen emigration
from this country would be to estab
fish in various parts OF the country
by sh-Amcricnns OF wealth, indus
tries of various kinds. They were so
ing to far distant lands. those Irish
men in America, investing thei1
money. Why not turn their attention
to Ireland. and see what good tie!
could do her? They would want then
particularly in the beginning. Whcl
they were placed on their feet, the,
would be drained to too great an OK
tent-tllat the people of other co,n
tries, of England and of Scotland
might come over, and it might then b
too late. and it might be impossible t.
appeal to the Irish in America. Ill
believed they We're entitled at thi
crisis in their cOuntry's fortunes to up
peal to the Irish in America to com