The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-22
A Plea for Ireland.

Joseph Devlin, member Of the British
parliament and special emmisary of the
United Irish league, is doing great work
among the men Of Irish birth and Irish
descent in this country in presenting
clearly and effectively the struggle for
the betterment of Ireland as it is being
carried on to-day.
There is division of sentiment among
the Irish people in this country as to the
attitude which they should assume toward
the proposed reform measures, the chief
Of which is the land bill, under which it
is proposed to place the soil of Ireland
again in the possession of her peasantry
and make land owners and independent
farmers of her tenant population. There
are those who oppose the acceptance of
any concessions from the British govern
ment not secured by the exercise OF ply
steal force. In other words, there is an
! Irish element in this country which is
eager to fight and does not hesitate to
! denounce those who favor the acceptance
! Of the terms of the land bill as sellers OF
i their birthright for a mess of pottage.
/ Mr. Devlin recognizes it as part of his
business to combat the idea Of reliance
upon physical force and took notice last
night of those who favor such policy. He
not only resented forcibly the dishonor-
4 able insinuations made, but showed how
i reliance upon physical force necessarily
s meant indefinite and perhaps permanent
postponement of any measure Of relief
Z vic frv
ple are impoverished, whose ranks are
decimated by an annual emigration OF
100000 Of their youngest and best specl-
mems of Irish manhood and womanhood
whose powers Of resistance of wrong
have been weakened by centuries of op-
preston who are forbidden to carry OF
even to possess arms, who are under close
surveillance. by a Well-organized and eff
fective constabulary, who could be sur.
rounded in night by the most powerful
fleet in the world and shut up in their lit
tie island with no communication with the
outside world-to insist that to such there
is no recourse except through the exer
else of physical force, is to condemn then
to perpetual poverty and suffering ant
If the Irish people are to be saved ant
the Irish race is to be perpetuated, if th
people of Irish: blood, scattered every
where thruout the world, are to have
cradle land, that land must be preserve'
thru other means than mere physica
force. >=,.s~.>.,- +7-.--.-s y,5
Mr.. Devlin cited as evidence that tn
-
the action of the Irish representatives i
parliament during the Boer war, whe
England, in her<need of men and money
would have been willing and offered
give the Irish people anything they wante
if Ireland would help to fight the Boer:
but the Irish people resented the brib
and felt that it would be dshonorable fc
them to purchase their liberty by helpin
to defeat the aspirations of another lit
erty loving people.
Those who favor the acceptance of til
land bill in Ireland waive none of the
claims for home rule and Irish freedol
and they are satisfied that, the materi
prosperity which is sure to follow tt
operation Of laws which restore the lar
to the Irish farmers. will not only benet
rs the peasant class immeasurably, but w
s. be felt in all centers of population thru Il
g revival Of Irish industry.
On these grounds is based the appeal
. . men Of Irish birth and Irish descent
ise 81 America and to all friends of Ireland f
g material support for that movement whi'
beginning with the restoration of the ST
to the people who live on it and cultiva
&. it. looks to the material and social be
terment OF the whole people. Mr.. Devl
s is. . forcible speaker, rapid and enecti