The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-06-09
IRELAND's GREATEST NEED.

'''s~'''SS'se
Good for Whole Nation.
The following letter from Mr.. John
Sweetman appeared in a recent issue
of the Dublin Freeman's Journal:
Drumbaragh. Kells, May S, 1906.
Sir-Although we may not like to ac-
knowledge it. we must admit there is
a great want of real National feeling
in Ireland. Those who think of any
thing beyond the welfare of themsel-
YES individually, or of their immediate
families. are satisfied to think of the
prosperity of their own class alone.
The laborers naturally consider in
what way they can better the position
of the laboring class; the middle
classes consider how their own class
can be bettered; the landlords and
richer classes consider how they can
grow richer. or. at any rate, keep their
present position. Everyone thinks
that he will be individually benefited
if his own class be bettered. Very few
think that if the nation be bettered
they will also be individually benefited.
This is what keeps all classes down
in Ireland, keeps them lower than in
any other civilized country.
The German Ambassador to the
United States, speaking at dinner in
Pittsburg the other day. made very
remarkable statement. He said that
the handspring of German industrial
development was strong national
spirit" This is striking corrobora-
tion, in the present day. of the theory
Of Frederick List, the German writer,
quoted by Mr.. Arthur Griffith in his
pamphlet on The Sim Fein Policy"
namely. that between the Individual
and Humanity stands, and must con-
tinue to stand, a great fact-the Ma
ton. The Nation, with it's special lam
guage and literature, with it's peculiar
origin and history, with it's special
manners and customs. laws and insti-
tutions, with the claims of all these
for existence. Independence, perfection,
and continuance for the future. and
with it's separate territory. society
which, united by thousand ties of
minds and interests, combines itself
into one Independent whole"
This National feeling is what we
have not got in Ireland, and this is
| what we must have before we can be
prosperous. The one movement that
| is leading to the creation of real Ir-
| ish nation is the revival of the Irish
| language. Englishmen who are living
in Ireland, and those who wish to be
West Britons, are quite right in think
| ing that the revival of the Irish!language
| is most dangerous to the Union Of Eng
do not trouble about England, and who
wish that they and their children
| should grow in prosperity, will natur-
ally do their best to revive the Irish
| language when the realize that it's re-
vival leads to the revival Of National
games. National music, National dane
es-in fact to the revival of that nat
ional spirit which the German Ambas-
sadOr says has been the handspring of
| German industrial development
| Frederick List, advocating a United
Germany seventy years ago. said of a
! ma tion. "Tf aho,,ld r,oococc a foy,,,,ou
language and literature, a territory en-
dOwed with manifold natural resOur-
ces. extensive. and with convenient
frontiers and numerous population
Agriculture, manufactures, commerce
and navigation must be all developed
in it proportionately, arts and sciences
educational establishments and univer-
sal cultivation must stand in it on al
equal footing with material produc-
ton. It's constitution, laws. and in.
stitutions must afford to those who
belong to it a high degree Of security
and liberty and must promote relig.
ion, morality, and prosperity. Every
misfortune that we have suffered fol
centuries past may be traced to ont
cause; and that is that we have ceas
ed to consider ourselves a united ma
ton Of brothers whose first duty is t,
exert our common efforts to Oppos,
the common enemy. More beautiful