The Irish standard., 1907-01-19

I bring back iron! a TWO rnoht"a
tour through Ireland no stronger I'M
preston than this-tlat Ireland IL be-
coming Irish. says Sydney BROOKS ~
the Chicago Chronicle.
A movement is on foot broader,
grandcr and more revolutionary than
any even she has ever known. 1t is q
movement of national resurrection, OF
ma ational f-realization AMI self
pendence. In Hungary. Bohemia, Fin
land and Poland We have applaudea
and Hynpathtzed with similar move-
ments in the past. In Ireland. whether
we applaud or not; We may at least
try, to understand.
There is no modern miracle more
stupendous or mare Fascinating than
the rebtrth of an 'aneteANt,t4 aaslop,' hs,ss
nothing less $f>an'igiis that is now
being. wrought Pin Ireland. The: people
arc rc-c,eAtsne thelnselvss'A Aaor,t with. !.
in. rheysare reStverihg their COLLEGE
tive soul; they are reviving their racial
consciousness; they are being: swcp'
and invigarated by the returrinf: spirit
Of essential nationhood. Compared
with it's profound and penetrating re-
vivification, equally blended Of prac
ticality and idealisnl, no agitation i'll
Irish history7-not Fenianism, not the
Land league. not the home-rulc move
ment-r-is worth. in my Judgment. more
than a moments thought.
This new impulse toward a real ma
tionality-which is something very diff
ferent from an often at war with tho
"nationalisn" Of the Irish party--is 4
compound OF many elements, a rest'r-
.Voir fed by many streams. There rs
the Gaelic league. with its organized
and enthusiastic revival. OF the old
Irish tongue, the old Irish dances, folk
lore. songs and sports. There Is
group OF young writer's giving express
sion in prose and verse, passionate
and full OF Il wild charm and tender
ness, to the fervor Of the Celt:; re-
naissance.
There is the cooperative movement,
which has covered tho country with q
network of cooperative creamerles.
village banks, poultry societies and so
on preaching and r,racticing the doa-
trnc of self-hclp. There is the per-
vasive and determined effort to- develop
all the material resources Of the land
and to enforce upon Irishnen the pat
riotic duty of buying only Irish goo is
and Irish products. There are the ten
tative beginnings Of a national drlnl",
There is a department Of agriculture
popularity governed and bringing for
the first time expert assistance and
advice within reach of the peasant
proprietors.
All these are influences working to-
ward one embracing end, an Irish Ire
land Whether they aim at strength
ening the national will or at awaken
ing the national soul or at stiffening
I the national backbone, all proceed upon
one common formula-that the saliva
ton Of Ireland must be sought and
achieved by Irishmen on Irish soil. All
in their different ways set forth an
ideal Of nationality that overrides
parties, crceds and sections. All in
culcate self-reliance as the primal
need. All discourage that fatal Irish
! habit. Of all the fruits of misgovern.
nent the most poisonous and paralyz.
! Ing, Of looking tor and leaning upon
assistance from without. Whether they
seek to encourage and find or force
Hi outlet for the native instincts and
'senius Of the people to save them from
anglicization and to lead them bacl'
! to the well-head OF the Gaelic Ian.
suage, arts and pastimes. or whether
their purpose is tho more prosaic one
Of promoting Irish industries am
equipping the peasant for the realities
of q competitive agricultural existence
. ~