The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-01
O'CONNOR'S HOPE FOR IRELAND
TELLS ENTHUSIASTIC PATRIOTS
THE FUTURE ~ PROMISING.
Hundreds Greet '"Tay Pay at the HOHman
House and Hear Him speak Of the
steady UpIIft OF the Emerald Isle-Fier
Defenders Quarrel, but Are Honest.

DrttNucrA ahMTErhs DuA NEF hhVtIrsNs
The reception room Of the Hoffman House
was jammed last night with Irish and Ameri-
can enthusiasts gathered to pay rhetorical
tribute and shake the hand Of T. p. OCon-
nor, M. p, Irish statesman and journalist,
who is here to attend the third national
convention OF the United Irish League,
which opens tomorrow in Philadelphia.
Mr.. O'Connor was introduced to the audi
ence, which included many women. by
Michael f.. Corbley, president OF the New
York Municipal Council of the league.
Mr.. O'Connor said that he had intended
to make the speech Of his life in response
to the greetings Of his friends in America,
but that he had been so busy since hisEar-
rival on Saturday on the Celtic that he
had had no time even TO jot down a note,
and that whatever he might say would
perhaps be a trihe unfinished and alto
gether extemporaneous, prompted by the
feelings OF the moment.
1t had been a long time since he had been
in New York before. he said, and he had
found so manv old friends that he felt like
a man who had forgotten his mother tongue
and was spelling his way back into it again.
In his Parliamentary experience Of twenty
six years he had seen the tide o. irish OPP
portunitv and accomplishment rise and fall.
and sometimes he had been a bit Respondent.
but always Jack Of him was the eternal
impulse Of the Irish people for s~elf-govern-
msnt. and that had helped to revive him.
Mr.. O'Connor mentioned the name of
Parnell and created fervent applause. He
said the Irish people of the world should
never forget Parnell and Biggar. They
had raised a flame hat was still alive At
times il had appeared near extinction, but
they had revived it and inspired the Irish
race with faith and confidence in its ultimate
triumph. He could remember in his youth
when landlordism. eviction. rack renting
and exile was the lot ~ a large proportion
OF the Irish tenantry. All Of these had been
abolished.
In the last twenty-five years Of the struR-
gle for Irish home rule there had been fac
tons that had been bitter to each other
and there had been divisions, but few il
any Of the Irish Parliamentarians had ever
been accused Of selling out to the enemy,
Of s~urrendering their convictions for place
or money offered by the British Govern
ment. The Wounds Of Ireland were still
bleeding, although she had acquired much
through the operation Of the Irish land
act.
As he stood on the deck Of the Celtic. Mr..
O'Connor said, and saw in the harbor of
Queenstown several hundred fine young
men and women from his native and embark
for America he could not help thinking
that Ireland smiling in the clear September
air, was approaching them for abandoning
her. Already she had lost one-half of her
population through emigration, and so long
az that emigration went on it could not be
said all was well with Ireland.
Ireland was really a case Of arrested de-
Valnnmanf She had OiVRn much m tho
world before eT individuality had been
crushed by an alien race. Her development
had been arrested by this race. But thanks
to the land act a change had come upon
her greater than has occurred in any other
country in a similar period.
The farmers who had been permitted to
buy little homesteads of ten and fifteen
acres were making the country blossom.
They had built and were building better
houses, they were opening new roads and
improving the old ones, they were estAb-
fishing better shops, which were selling
better furniture for the farm houses. and
furniture, too, that came mostly from
America. The change in the so short a
period was little less h marvellous and
showed the talent and industry Of the
race when it had something to work for
that it might call it's own. In concluding
his address Mr.. O'Connor seid:
This is not the fight CT the people at
home; il is the fight Of the race. The fight
ems are greater and more powerful. perhaps,
outside than within the shores Ct Ireland.
While You OF America have no direct per-
soDal interest in the struggle, you ave the
sentimental and substantial interest Il all
true Irish men and women in the Welt ire
Of their kindred and OF mankind.
You want to see squalid cabins sup
planted by well built. we'll kept and we'll
furnished homes; you want to see the
development Of the new spirit Of freedom,
and the children Of Ireland grow up under
a government that will make the Ireland OF
the future beautiful indeed. I will venture
to prophesy that within a quarter Of a rem |
fury there will be an assembly in Dublin
to control the destiny Of a race. inspired with
a great and unselfsh ideal. that merely
asks the right to develop its individuality
along lines of its own selection"
John O'~Callaghan, national secretary Of
the Irish League, welcomed Mr.. O'Connor
on behalf Of the league. He aid there
was no deficiency in the Irish character; |
the curse of foreign rule had prevented
the Irish from displaying the capacity that
they manifested in every other part of the ]
world where they had a chance to grow.
IF men like Mr.. OConnor," said Mr.. |
O~Callaghan. ~can help TO rule England as
the representative Of an English constit-
uency such men surely are capable of ril-
ing Ireland. The Irishman has been able
to hold his own with the best Of England's
sons. All he wants is opportunity. He
does not demand any larger share Of free
ASAAA NAeAA - AAINNNN ~ NlAU ~ I6A I
OF Australia and Canada.
Il zee here Darcy Scott, son of the Secre-
tary Of State Of Canada, who is asking
with VIZ that Ireland shall receive the same
consideration at the hands Of England as
Canada receives. Here Ia also the veteran
Irishman and Australian, Daniel O'Connor, |
formerly Postmaster-Gene Of SYDNEY. |
and all that he demands from the British
Government il that Ireland shall be per-
mitted to govern herself as Australia does.
We do not demand more. The Irish race
in America stands back of the Irish parIia-
mentary party and that means much to
England. American influence is ten times !
as great az it was in the time Of Gladstone,
because America is now the great world
Power"
Congressman Sulzer said he was ALWAYS
at home with an Irish audience. Although
his name was German, he had a Kelly in his
family away back and he was proud of il.
He said the Land act was a step in the right
direction for the achievement of prosperity !
and liberty in Ireland. But The privileges
Of the Irish Of buying pack the land that
had been stolen from them might not be
regarded by some as altogether ethical.
but IL was better than not being able to yet
the land at all. His experience had shown |
him that all legislation wa compromise. |
He hODRd the time would Cou,a yvban a.