The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-12-06
leland FOR THE IRISH
,.lic Leagues President Tells
of National Movement.

4. Douglas
u YIN Feel That They Do Not Have
cal, other COuntries-Predicts
,uration VIII Almost Entirely
.e In IA Few Years.
x.u York got an Introduction recent
the chief promoter Of the Irish
l,,onnium-the time when all the
''nmpn will live in Ireland, says the
Csr York Times.
E ~ Is DR.. Douglas Hyde, president
tbo Gaelic league, 100000 strong.
y has come to the United States to
ii what he has been teaching In
land for fifteen years-that Irish
" shall know themselves. His slo-
f. is Irish independence of intellect.
roI+ic this is "Sinn Fein Amhain."
rroIish it means ourselves Alone"
/, Hyde organized the Gaelic league
y years ago. He is a western Irish
IN Of thoughtful mind and active
", Tbe philosophy Of the whole move
inf in behalf of the intellectual indie
I.ndpnce of Ireland" he said the other
IICbt SIS to interest Irishmen in some
at all, tending to i'm
Nave the mind; to get Irishmen alb
gorbnd in their own country, to make
|bpm stay there and to recover those
rbo have left. We want, in word,
\ rpvitalize the island and the people.
h. want Ireland to be what it was
Tpars ago, q country Of character, of
nagnifcent people, of promise and of
raDdeur Of intellect and industry.
"Up to a few years ago Ireland had
orgotten that it had history or litera-
nre or music. Irishmen had been
sught for three generations the his
Ory of England. Instruction in the
rsh language was not permitted in
he primary schools. The average
Trshman when he wanted to sing
onething would chant the English
ra-ra-boom-de-ay' or some other
english music hall ditty. Today he is
inglng Believe Me, If All Those En-!
earring Young Charms and other of
be old Irish ballads. Whenhe wanted to
cad something he would select a class
literature on par with your Nick
,arter or old Sleuth.' Today he is
eading Charles Lever and Samuel
over.
This is what we have been encour-
gng for the last ten years, and we are
The Gaelic league now has
10000 members or more. They are the
len who are telling Ireland to know
self. And Of that 100000 they are al
lost to a man total abstainers from in
drink, which, you will ap-
rebate, means world to the future
the race.
81 came over to lay before the Irish
| America just what we have been do
lg at home. We have worked a ire
lendOus revolution In Ireland. 1t has
0 political significance yet. 1t is sim
" an intellectual fight at this stage.
What it may lead to can be cOnjec
lred. Our work is to effect the self
entering and self reliance of Ireland.
I'VE are effecting a great intellectual
pheaval. The people are beginning to
ltereSt themselves in the country as
ley never did before. For three gener-
tons they have had no country. They
ere treated by England as the mon
'els of civilization. They were taught
lat they had no race and that they
ere little bit Of everything, mostly
nglish. But we are teaching them
etter. Today 5000 of the 10000 Irish
hools are teaching the Irish language.
he young are being taught to converse
their native tongue. When at home
'eak 1t altogether. Thousands Of
ishmen are doing the same thing.
The English government is doing
Terything possible to suppress the
oyement It wants a benighted Ire
nd. Formerly the government al
wed the payment Of result fees
lsed upon the results accomplished in
If schools. A few years ago these
es, based on the teaching Of the Irish
nguage, amounted to less than FL 900
year. Today they amount to $4,000
year. That amount represented one
inbred and fiftieth part Of the money
ent upon Irish education. Now they
I've taken it away from us. Is that
sht! The Irish people ought to have
at money, no matter how they want
use 1t, even If they wanted to spend
IN blowing soap bubbles. England
'eSnt want Ireland to retain its Ian
lage, the oldest vernacular except the
reek In Europe, or any other heredi-
~ characteristic. But we will have
em all. They shall be rejuvenated.
Inc movement will help Ireland in
iStrlally. Already mills and facto-
Is, especially those engaged in the
ou trades, are swelling in prosperity.
iSnnen are now able to get work at
me, and in few years more l pre-
u mat emigration will almost entire
cease. Today 10000 of our best
luQp TriCh Oq 4bn