Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-01
Opening Of National Con-
vention at New York.
Presentation Of Reports from
Various Committees.
Letters Of Regret from President
Roosevelt and Others.

New York, Aug. 31.-At the cOnven-
ton Of the United Irish League or
America. today, there was no oiflciai
program for the proceedings, but most
Of the morning session was taken up
by the reports of the various commit
tees which We're appointed, yesterday.
and the secretarys report.
Secretary John O'Callaghan read a
resolution adopted at n meeting of Sla-
vonic- american citizens in the CITY
last night, expressing sympathy for
the Irish people in their struggle Tor
self-gOvernment and wishing thht
their efforts may be crowned with sue
cess in the near future. The secre-
tary also read a letter of regret from
President Roosevelt. Letters OF regret
also were read from Judge Parker, the
Democratic Presidential nominee. Car
dinal Gibbons and Archbishop Ryan.
The report Of Treasurer T. FftZpat-
rick showed that nearly all the states
in the Union contributed to the general
fund. The money collected since Oc-
tOber, 1902, amounted to SCI SOS.
Secretary O'Callaghan said that
while the league had added materially
to it's strength. influence and numbers
during the past year. he believed that
still greater progress could be made
in the future. To accomplish this he
believed that in the selection of the
new national committee only such per-
sons should be chosen as declare their
Willingness to work energetically for
the cause. Only one-SiXth of the MEM
berShip of the national committee
elected at the Boston convention, two
years ago, he said, have ever once re-
spOnded to an official communication
addressed to them.
He recommended that the new ma
tional committee be clothed with the
power to replace members on the com
mittee who show themselves To be in
different to the success of the cause.
There was warm debate over the
question of increasing the national
committee from 50 to 100 members. This
was finally defeated 1870 to 134.
The platform adopted by the con-
vention after renewing the pledge of
the leagues allegiance to the cause of
Irish national Independence, the right
of Ireland to have d parliament of her
own. says:
I'VE assert the right of the Irish peo-
pie TO procure their Independence by
any honorable method by work OF
word. by voice or sword. as circum-
stances may dictate or opportunities
may offer: but we fully admit the
right to choose their weapons in tho
battle for liberty. untrammeled by die
tation frcm any outside source. realiz-
ing that the people on the firing lin
of the fight for nationhCod are the best
Judges of the policy to be- adopted in
their struggle with the wealth and
power of England.
The convention at the afternoon seS-
sion unanimously elected the follow
ing officers for Il term of two years:
President. John f. Finerty. Chicago;
first vice president. Patrick Egan, New
York. former minister to Chill: second
vice president. Edward Dewey. st.
Louis: third vice president, Michael j.
Redding, Baltimore; fourth vice pres
ident, John Fitzgerald. New Orleans;
national secretary, John O'Callahan,
Boston: national treasurer, +. b. FitZ-
patrick. New York.