The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-09-26
IRISH AMERICANS IN IRELAND.

The speech of Edward NJ, Lahiff. of
Chicago. at Aghada. in Ireland. was a
direct reputation Of the views ey-
pressed not long ago by another citi-
zen of Chicago, who spoke at Wolfe
Zone celebration. Criticism when
made for the purpose of betterinr q
measure is all right, but when used
for the purpose of destroying a meas
IRE without Offering any substitute. is
all wrong. 1t is to say the least Door
manners and taste for Irish Americans
to criticize and condemn the leaders Of
the Irish cause in Ireland without Of
fering or suggesting any feasible plan
or campaign as a substitute for that
advocated by the Irish leaders. I'm
fortunately there are i'm the United
States Il few irreconci!a',les, who. like
Timothy Ilealy in Ireland. oppose
every measure which is advocated ny
the United Irish league or supportel
by the Irish Parliamentary party. But
they are few in number. and for the
most part sincere but misguided
friends of Ireland Yet, when such
persons so to Ireland and there de-
nounce the Irish leaders before the
Irish people they not only injure the
cause in Ireland. but previously mis-
represent the Irish of America. The
overwhelming weight of thought and
sympathy on this side of the Atlantic
is heartily in accord with the methods
and measures Of the present National
list party. AS Mr.. Lahiff so aptly
said: 1--WE. of the Irish race in Amer
lea, have no God-given commission 10
criticize and condemn tile men at
home here in connection With their
public movements. When we in Amer
lea prove by deeds rather than by tho
Dry, that we are better Irish National
lists than you here in Ireland are. then.
and only then. can we find warrant for
criticiZilg you. In this connect on. re
memhering the sacrifices the sturdiness
and the devotcdness of our own gal
liant little Agllada. remarked not long
ago at a meeting of an organization to
which belong in Chicago. that it re-
quirrd far more pluck. more patience.
and more grit, to carry on such a stru@-
Gle as YOU men of Aghada. and men
like you carried on to my own knowl
edge. than to indulge in the pleasant
l,astime of fighting again in fancy once
Il year the battle Of the Yellow Ford
OH Lady Day in harvest four thousand
miles away" At this time in particu
lar. the advocates of revolution in Ire
land through physical force ought to
remember the Inflated attempts here
tcfore made. The life and work of the
unfortunate Robert Emmett ought now
to he fresh in mind. 1t does not de-
tract from the purity of his life. his
high moral and physical bravery, nor
the ardor of his patriotism. because he
failed, but if the life of Emmett is to
he of value to the country and the peO-
pie he loved so we'll. the lesson of his
life should be we'll studied. All friends
of Ireland are is favor of a revolution
which will free the Irish people from
the yoke of English rule. The only
difference of opinion arises over the
method of revolutions. We are in favor
of Il revolution which can succeed. Ire
land needs relief. she stands in no need
of more martyrs to the cause of free
dom. If the land bill transfers the soil
of Ireland from the landlords to the
Irish people, as we believe upon high
and varied authority it will. then
revolution has already been accomp-
lished which surpases in practical re-
suits all the bloody revolutions of ply
steal force since the Act of Union. The
Irish do not need to prove their BRAY
cry. The world knows that AIN Irish
man dares and knows how to fight.
The Irish do not need to prove that
they are not afraid to fight against