The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-06-10
NOT A DEMOCRATIC cHATTEL

The last national campaign dis
closed the fact that the Irish-Amer-
lean vote is no longer assured for any
party. The result Of the election in
centers where the Irish vote is strong
was revelation to Democratic lead
ers, who have in the past counted with
assurance and reason upon this vote.
There is reason to believe that the
attitude of this vote in the last cleo
ton was not merely the expression of
some temporary and passing senti-
ment but that it is an evidence of it's
present and future independence.
There are two traits of character
prominent in the Irish makeup which
have in the past struggled for mastery.
The Irish are first loyal and Sec
ond Independent. At the period when
the first large Irish immigration took
place the Democratic party was the
particular exponent of personal and
religious liberty. There was in the
4O's and SOS a strong movement in
this country by party called the
Know-Nothing Party, whose cry was
America for Americans" and whose
particular object was the practical
disfranchisement of Catholics. The
Democratic Party opposed these big
OTIS. The Irish immigrant naturally
io%1 rr,i%h tha In oefx
They we're loyal to the religion Of
their fathers, and that loyalty led
them to affiliate with that party which
lrcmised to leave them their religion
and at the same time their political
rights. The war came on, and so
strong was the Irish attachment to
the party which had stood for political
and religious rights that the Irish
voter remained loyal to the Democrat
ic party, Notwithstanding the fact that
10 large section OF that party then
favored human slavery. know-Eoth-
ingism died. The war was fought
and ended. More Irish Immigrants
came to America. They found those
who had preceded them affiliated with
the Democratic party and these later
ones cast their lot there. And so it
happens that the bulk of lrish-Amer-
leans have heretofore been Democrats.
Loyalty to party has held them in line
in many later day campaign. The
Democratic party has also been the
minority party and Irish sympathy
for the under dog has been factor in
deciding political preference.
Democratic leaders have acquired
the habit of counting upon the Irish
vote as certain for the Democratic
party and this habit has rendered
them unjust toward this large and
important vote. 1t has done even
more. 1t has rendered them in many
instances absolutely insolent. In the
nominations of candidates for office
and in the distribution of patronage
after election the Irish vote has been
counted upon as a negligible quantity.
Leaders have assumed that they need
| do nothing for the Irish. They are
! all right anyhow The Irish, how.
ever, have been learning that loyalty
to such leaders is senseless and there
has been for some years a growing
movement toward independent voting
The last election was revelation tc
the bosses. 1t proved to them that
the Irish can vote some other tickle,
than the Democratic.
The Irish Standard would not be
true to the position which it occupies
did it not recognize the changed atti
tude above referred to. We are fal
from believing that the Irish voters
have to any great extent become Re
publicans, but we do believe that they
have ceased to be mere negligible
CUE.