Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1907-05-30
An Irish
D. Manifesto
Irish Socialist Federation Reply to In
suit of DR.. Brann-Old Fenian
Spirit to the Front

NJ fecoht "cctinB VI thc ihoh
Socialist Federation of New York "a
body composed exclusively of Social
lists of Irish birth and parentage) the
late uncalled for attack by DIR. Brann
upon the demonstration in favor of
a fair trial for the imprisoned lead
ers of the Western Federation of
Miners was taken up for discussion.
As this statement of this reverend
/ gentleman that there were but few
lrishmen in the parade was regarded
by the members present as refiee-
tion upon the public spirit of our
eountrymen, placing them before the
American public as being Indifferent
OF hostile TO demand for injustice,
the following statement was prepare
for publication, in criticism of his
position and in vindication of the
character of those Irish who marched
in the "horde", as DIR. Brann elegant
ly terms the flower of the organized
workers of New York.
"We, members of the Irish Social
list Federation, speaking on behalf
of those working class Irish who in
every movement for freedom have
ever taken foremost place, who have
ever been as pioneers ready to point
the way in every movement for pro
gress, or as fighters to lay down their
lives for its realization, desire to re-
mind the Rev. DIR. Brann that we
as Irish have history behind us
history that speaks eloquently
against the interposition of clergy.
men in temporal affairs, history that
warns US Of the folly Of expecting
from clergymen, either wisdom, polit.
ical prudence, or controversial de.
eeney, once they step into the polit-
ical arena. How often in Ireland
have we seen these same individuals
when criticised by some opponent,
denounee such criticism as an attack
upon the churchf Are we to hear
gentlemen like the Rev. DIR. Brann
huri insult and abuse at n gathering
Of 10000 working men and women,
and stand ready to brand as enemies
of the church any Of the people so
attacked who dare to say a word in
their own defensef How long are we
to have the spectacle of n priest Of
church which proudly claims to be
Catholic or Universal set himself to
sneer ut men or women because of
their alleged foreign birth and TO
echo every appeal to the basest pas
sion Of the lowest element know.
nothingismf As Irish men and women
we repudiate with scorn his attempt
to represent our race as hostile to the
labor movement, or as quiescent in
face of social injustice. We affirm
our solemn conviction that the Ian.
guage Of DR.. Brann is a greater dan
ger 10 his church than a thousand
Meyer Haywood demonstrations are to
free institutions in America. Does
the Reverend gentleman believe that
theological studies equip clergymen for
graphing sympathecially with great
political or social poblemsi Will he
permit US to cite for him a few in.
stances culled from Irish history,
which, in thunder tones proclaim the
contrary.
In 1893 all ireland and all Irish
men and women the world over proud.
ly and solemnly honored the memory
OF the United Irish rebels Of 1898, but
in their own day these rebels were
denounced in the most solemn manner
by the whole Catholic hierarchy in
ireland.
] In 1s4s when scores of thousands Of