The Irish standard., 1907-06-08
Upholds the Spirit of lrish-Americanisn and
Sounds the Keynote Of the
Organization.
The North Star State is NowF Fifth in Extent
of Membership in the Order in
This Country.

president, arose amid the cheers and
hand-clappings of the enthusiastic au-
dience. With few preliminary re-
marks in which he declared it was one
of the greatest opportunities on this,
his visit to the West, to speak to the
Hennepin county members of the or
der, President Cummings spoke of the
the progress which he had noticed the
the past year. He said in part:
Il find looking over my reports, that
in membership, today, Minnesota
stands fifth in membership Of the An
cient Order of Hibernians.
Our aim and principle has been
for God and Country We today oc-
cupy an unique field among the organ
izations of the world. We are an
Irish Catholic organization, one in
which church. and race keep pace.
walking side by. side. ever since our
advent and it is my hope that we shall
ever keep in that straight and mar
row path Let us keep up our ma
tional spirit, for without that we can
do nothing.
But to come down to the present
day. We have in this country no less
than 100000 Catholics. There are
but 100000 Protestants, which facts
mean that the majority of the people
OF these United States do not attend
church. What this means you may
well imagine. What a field in which
to labor. We have today $4,000 church.
es. 900 colleges and no less than 1000
hospitals and charitable institutions,
as a result of the entrance to this
country Of the Irish emgrant, who,
some years ago, was sadly prosecuted,
was not wanted here.
"In this country we have an Irish
Catholic civilization and it is, in my
mind, the mission of the Ancient Or
der of Hibernians to foster in so far as
it can, this feeling of national pride
and love in the father and mother
land. ....
Had it not been for the Irish in this
! country, the United States would long
ago been a catspaw in the hands Of
the English. 1t is the Irishman, who
has stopped the alliance, which other
wise would have been made between
/ these two countries, which were once
at war. That is the reason they sent
Ambas ssador Bryce to this country. The
Irish German influence in this country
today is such as would crush the Eng
lish influence any day. in my opin-
ion. So let us foster this feeling
81 would appeal to you to keep with
in the bounds of honesty and tolerance
in all things, bearing with each other.
Cast aside the jeaousies and bicker-
ings so often found in our nature,
| where to tear down rather than to
build up is the aim of some. We
! should strive at all times to assist in
every honorable way the upbuilding
and general advancement of the COM
| munity in which we live. lending our
aid and encoura cement to every wor-
| thy object, never finding fault, but
clarifying in the success Of our neigh
! Dor as long as he is worthy no matter
| what his calling. Let us court the
friendship and good will of every 9th.
er nationality. We cannot afford to
d. otherwise and it is this broad man.
| ly spirit that never fails Of endorse
ment whether in the individual or in a
| nationality.
Before 1 close l want to say one
word. vital one. 1t is this. The fu-
ture of our hopes depend on our boys
and girls. Let us organize juvenile
divisions of our order, that Irish
Catholic youth may have chance to
fight on the side Of right for church
and state.''
Following President Cummings.
State Chaplain Father O'Brien was in
troduced by the, prssidinx o@ser and