The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-10-13

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result has always been the came
the Irish banshee stalks the floor of
Westminster, and viii not be laid un-
til she ceases t., mourn over the death
of Irish liberties AMI the destruction
Of the Irish Parliament. s.
IreIand's Position Today.
The position today IL Ireland is this:
I do not dwell or tha attractiveness of
the Irish maiden, because ] believe that
is an accepted fact, and / do not know
how any man can 1--WE in Ireland and
remain single after he has come to the
age Of discretion; bur in. spite of that
we have in ireland the lowest mar
riase rate of any country in Europe.
So that in whatever way we look
at it we find the signs, Of national
decay produced by national misgovern-
ment; nay, go this far and say that
even when England with the best in
tentions passes a good act for Ireland
it does the job backwards, it does it
as a botch and not as a master of
the trade. The Land Act of 1908 was
one of the greatest acts of legislation
that ever passed. ani yet 1t left un-
solved two Of the NEST serious ques-
tions of Irish life-the evicted tenants
and the congested districts
Let me for a moment, and it will
be the last phase OF the. Irish ques-
ton shall present to this audience,
say a word about the present .politi-
cal prospects. Ladies' and gentlemen.
sum up the, situation with these
words. which ! utte:. in all, good faith
and sincerity, the da, of Ireland's de-
liverance is near at hand.
IreIand's Appeal to Epsland's Demo.
.eracy. T.:
Let me giye you one proof amid
many in support OF that statement.
In 1881, ora little later. believe it
was, l suggested to Mr.. Parnell that
we should pass over the British Par
Lament and the existing British par
ties and try to get at the toiling mass
es Of the British people. l said: II
think, know working men of
England pretty we'll. I have lived a
good many years among them, and I
think if we we're only able to get
their ear we would make an impress
sion and perhaps ges them on our side. !"
OFF we started on the stump and ap-
peared in the cities of England in
order to make an appeal to the Brit
ish Democracy. I regret to say, that
our efforts We're extremely unsuccess-
full. We went to Manchester, one Of
the first places. l remember distinctly
to this day, although it was almost a
quarter of century since that 1t took
place, that when Parnell and l drove
in a carriage through the streets OF
Manchester, quiet, sober business men,
returning from their offices to their
homes actually took the trouble to
stand in the streets and to hiss and
to boo at us as If we were the greatest
criminals and miscreants in the world.
That was twenty-three to twenty
five years ago, and today from Man.
chester and Stafford, which arc prac-
tically one city, there are returned to
Parliament nine members, and every
single one of the nine members is as
pledged to Home Rule for Ireland as
I am myself. The democracy has come
to its senses, and though it has awak-
ened in England rather late, yet their
awakening has been mighty.
We are within sight of the promised
land. Let us keep un. our courage:
let US preserve our selfacontrol; let us
see to it that there is no sign of dis
sension in our ranks; let us preserve
that unity which is at once the foun-
dation stone and the ark of the COW
enant OF our movement. And then
we shall see that vision splendid, and
emancipated Ireland-that vision
splendid for which many of our peo-
pie died in the field and on the scaffold,
although even in the dim distance they
could not see the beginning Of its ap-
pearance. The long night is at last
nm ~ .nd r.n horn on1y fo vpaif ld1,,.ino
the few hours that still separate US
from the glorious goal.
MINISTER TELLS HIS FLOCK