The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-17

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ireland period OF almost uninterrupted
! prosperity Tor several hundred years.
His own words In introduction TO ths
| Scnchus Nor show clearly his line OF ac-
! ton; What did not clash with the word
| of God and the conscience of the believers
| was confirmed in the laws OF the Brehons
for the law OF nature had been right, ex-
| ccpt as to the faith and the harmony Of
church and people"
IRISH IN REVOLUTION.
The part that the Irish played in the
! American revolution has TO a large meas
ure been lost sight OF at this time. or
the total white population OF the 13 col
! onies. at the close Of the revolutionary
war more than one third were Irish; and
we have the authority OF the very best
, English historians. that more than half
OF the revolutionary army were OF Irish
T blood or descent. That the predominance
| OF the race in the continental armies was
known can be readily shown by refer
ence to the parliamentary debates Of that
! period, but from the beginning Of this
! century, this feature OF the revolutionary
movement has been studously suppressed
until It's truth IS now debated I'm certain
| quarters and more or less regarded as
the mythical claims OF Irish agitators.
! This has been possible because these
the teachings OF st. Patrick. They lost
| their faith. and in 1si6 when the van
guard of the peasant Irish driven from
Ireland 10y famine. began TO come 10 the
United States Irish influence in the
United States had been practically obllt-
Grated.
MISUNDERSTOOD IRISH.
The Irish peasants who began to come
here from the time Of the Irish famine
| your fathers and mine-knew little r.
| anything OF business or science. The only
thing which the policy OF England had
been unable TO deprive them of was their
love Of their religion. and tho pride OF
| their race, and these constituted prac-
tically the sum total of their possessions
on arrival In this country.
1t would be foolish TO claim that these
| Irish peasants were without defects. but
the continual Misrepresentation of the
Irish character, which has been consist
emily praGtised by England for hundreds
Of years, had its Inevitable effect. es-
pecially on the Plritanical Yankee. who.
with all his virtues was not in those early
days. at least. particularly noted for his
religious broad -mndedness.
The Irish were misunderstood. as wa
misunderstood the Southern European and
Slavic races. who comprise our present
day immigration. 1t was not uncommon
for these immigrants to walk from fve
! to fifteen miles and return, on Sunday
morning. TO hear mass
This devotion 10 religion. which should
have provoked only sincere admirs ton,
was proof positive OF their slavery 90
Rome. They hated England In this
+ee#HtisAof all the world this feeling should
meet sympathy, but instead was mis-
construed as inherent anarchy and in
ability TO conform 10 government re-
| straints.
HELPS FEW ALONG
Before long. even at this very time.
| IL will be necessary for the Irish on the
vantage ground OF this foundation to de-
termine whether In the future they will
be outstripped in the race by these
racial forces now predominating in the
immigration movement--the Jews. Ital-
ians and Slavs-end become their SER
wants; or by virtue OF accomplishment,
! their masters.
! do not wish to be misunderstood ~
saying that our race has more than it's
proportion OF lawyers and doctors. but
rather that there Is not business enough
for the number already IN these profess
sions: this being especially true OF the
former
A lawyer or n doctor may advance IA
the top of his profession. as many have
done, but only TO n very limited degree
does ne carry any one along with him.
A civil engineer. on the contrary. may
have it in his power To- provide employ
ment for any number OF people. and also
materially 10 advance many people our
generation Is commercial and Industrial
one and the prizes Of life OF the present
day mainly lie IN this direction.
FOR TECHNICAL TRAINING.
ono good way 10 raise our race I'm ths
world OF commerce and finance Is bv
helping in the movement TO establish
technical schools. and then get our bows
to 60 into them. so that they NAV be
given the equipment 10 command. to In
vent When YOU meet man with cx-
ceptional success, YOU find n man OF OK
ceptional ability. and the successful man
Of the future will be the trained, educated
man. who has learned how 10 do things
In the best schools. 81. Patrick. with
his love of his people and his practical
sense. II he were living today would DO
busy helping 20 establish trade schools
for them.
The first generation % our race ara
passing away. having done their work
| well: leaving the second I'm the fun
strength of maturity. and occupying a
commanding position In point OF numbers
Their position meant dependence. ours
Is opportunity 10 go ahead and rcspon-