The Irish standard., 1905-11-25

league and near.y nine hundred
throughout the country with an en-
rolled membership of one hundred
thousand. Last year the League sold
two hundred and fifty thousand books
and pamphlets, not mentioning those
sold by the agencies.
The development of an interest in
the study of the Gaelic language ami
literature has had its influence upon
the development of Irish industries as
we'll. While in it's inception the League
was organized for the purpose of pre-.
serving the ancient language and lit
erature of Ireland it has now exte;d-
ed its field of work along the lines of
encouraging Irish manufactures. 1t
represents one phase of the new policy
which many think will do more to
preserve Irish nationality than the po-
litical struggle which has been so long
maintained. The new policy for which
Mr.. Hyde and his co-workers stand
is summed up in the Gaelic words
"sinn fein," which translated, means
ourselves" Mr.. Hyde realized manv
years ago that the campaign for the
recognition of the right of the Irish
people to govern themselves was en-
barrassed by political and religious
prejudices. He realized that the move
ment to secure self-government from
without was hampered by the fact that
the landlords were opposed to what
the peasants desired and that the
Protestants in the north of Ireland
were fearful that Home Rule would
augurated a movement in which all
Irish people can enthusiastically en-
list and it is a fact that he today en-.
joys the confidence Of the entire peo-
pie to a greater extent than any 9TH
er public man. The main outline of
his creed is that Ireland should de-
velop from within upon its own ilres
instead of looking abroad for help.
The effort to preserve the Gaelic Ian
guage is simply an initiative step in
what promises to be a broad move
ment for the preservation Of a ma
tionality.
1t is probably known to but few in
this country that there are at the
present time approximately one mill
ion people in Ireland who speak the
Gaelic language. The number who
can read it is very much less, due to
the educational system inaugurated by
the British government in 1882. At
that time Il law was passed by the
British Parliament providing for a sys-
ject of denationalizing Ireland. Edu-
cation under this act was entrusted to
a board of which the English Arch
Bishop was chairman. The result of
this system was the discouragement
and suppression Of the Irish language.
1t should be remembered that previous
to this time the great majority of the
Irish people spoke the ancient tongue.
English was not known in Ireland prior
to the twelfth century and it was only
during the last seventy years that
the effort to substitute the English was
successful. During this latter period
while the national schools were doing
their work, the study of Gaelic liter
ature was confined to a few Irish and
German scholars. The most important
work being done by German students.
There still remained, however. in the
west provinces, especially in the noun
tain districts, a large number Of peas
ants who could speak the language.
Very few Of them, however, could read
for there were no schools in which
Gaelic was taught.
Douglas Hyde, upon the completion
of his course in Trinity College, in
stead of following in the footsteps of
his father, who was a Presbyterian
minister, abandoned the ministry for
which he had been educated. and
started upon a prolonged tour among
the peasants in the West of Ireland.
He was wealthy and could easily have
chosen what would appear to most
men a more brilliant career. He had
become interested in the study Of
Gaelic during his college course and
the songs and stories heard from the
mountain peasants but increased that
interest. The result of his tour was
several books written in the Gaelic
language. AS a writer he Is second
only to Yeats in Ireland. His writ
ings are important but his chief work
has been the preservation Of the YER
nacular as speaking medium and its
application once more to the purposes
of Irish national life.
His visit to this country is for the
purpose of arousing interest in the
Gaelic League and its work. He has
already spoken to the students Of Har-
ward and Yale Universities, and in
tends to speak at most of the import
ant colleges throughout the United
States, He will also address Irish So
cteties in different cities that he visits.
He makes it plain at the outset that
he will refuse to talk politics. While