Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1904-08-30
FOR OLD IRELAND'S CAUSE.
The United Irish Leaguc To Dirert
Its Efforts To Autonomy
For Ireland.

New York. Aug. 30. After more
than q quarter of q century of parlia-
mentary agitation the Irish cause in
America is 10 be put on q new footing.
The United Irish League of America,
which began its convention in the
Lexington Opera House in this city
today, intends 70 direct its efforts in
the future toward securing complete
autonomy for Ireland.
The United Irish League Of America
was organized three years ago, and
has grown very rapidly since that
time. In the last two years there
has been an increase of more than 40
per cent in the number of branches
| located throughout the country. Its
purpose is 10 act as auxiliary in Amer
lea 10 the National organization in ire
and, whose primary declaration Is !:
sshis society is constituted for the pur-
| pose Of forwarding a brotherhood of
affection, a communion of rights and
a union of power among Irishmen. =
The ends which the league strives 70
attain are: Full national self govern
ment for Ireland; the abolition of land
| Iordism in Ireland by means of uni
yersal and compulsory system OF land
purchase; putting an end to periodical
| famine in the distressed districts of
/ Ireland to insist upon the approprla-
| ton TO strictly Irish national uses OF
| the SIS, 600, 900 at present annually ex-
| ported from Ireland for the benefit OF
| England in excess of the contribution
/ stipulated by the act of union; 10 Sc
| cure the redistribution of the grazing
ranches of Connaught, and the rein
| statement of the evicted tenants; 10
| secure complete educational equality
| for all creeds in Ireland; to secure the
| compulsory extension throughout Ire
| land of the law for providing agricul-
/ tural laborers with cottages and one
/ acre allotments; to secure the aboll-
| ton of the right of the crown to chal-
| lenge jurors in political cases except
| for cause shown, and to work for the
preservation of the Gaelic language as
| part of the struggle for the recovery
| of Irish national freedom.
The problems TO be discussed by the
present convention are thus tersely
| set forth in this declaration of princi-
| pies, but delegates are chary of express
| ing in advance their views as to the
| probable action of the convention. 1t
| is generally conceded, however, that
| the situation today is very similar TO
Il that which confronted the Irish party
4 III 1SAAs VI iAAOAS
ago. when Messrs. ParneIl and Biggar
were only beginning to be heard from
as dissentients in the party under the
leadership of Isaac Butt. when Lord
Beaconfield was still Mr.. Disraeli,
when the Irish church was not yet dis
| established, when Lord Randolph
Churchill had not yet been even heard
of and when the Irish agitation in
England was marked by the tragic in
| cidents of Manchester and Clerken-
we'll. Such is the starting point from
| which the present convention will
base it's line of action, but just what
| direction that action will take none
of the prominent participants cares to
say. The delegates to the convention
number nearly 1000 and represents
| every large centre of population from
Maine TO California. Among the prom
inent Irish Americans of New York
| who were seated on the stage were
Congressman Bourke Cochran, Arch
bishop Farley, Recorder John w. Golf,
| Gen. James r. O'Bierne and Police
| Commissioners William McAdoo.