The Irish standard., 1907-03-23
The Irish Are the Fighting Race of the
World and They Are Likewise the
Optirnists of the World.
The Star ofIope Has Guided Them Through
the Darkness of Centuries and it's
Light Still Shines.

| spond to that sentiment the vice pres
ident of the United States"
AS Mr.. Fairbanks arose to speak
there was deafening applause, and the
banqueters arose to their feet to wave
their handkerchiefs. Father George
Mccarthy ascended a chair and called
for three cheers for the vice president
and they were given with rousing en-
thusiasm.
Il count myself fortunate in being
able to meet the members of the Irish
Fellowship club" said Mr.. Fairbanks.
Il like the name. There is something
Wholesouled and American about it
and above all there is something essen
TALLY Irish about it. The more good fell
lowship we get into this world the bet
ter we are and the better the world
you take out of it most of that which
is good and splendid. My friends. your
generous hospitality makes me your
grateful debtor.
.The theme which you have assigned
to me is a very attractive one-one
| which is, indeed, Well worthy of the
| occasion. The Irish have been among
the most potent in building up the ma
ton. There are no better, truer Amer
i leans than those who were either born
,, in Ireland or who proudly trace their
ancestry to that little island across the
sea, the home of Emmet and Grattan
and other orators who by the force of
their genius impressed themselves up
on the thought Of the civilized world.
I'VE have many hundreds of thou
sands of Irish in America, but upon st.
Patrick's day it would seem as if they
were indeed the whole thing. We saw
men and women wearing the green yes
terday in whose veins runs not a drop
Of Irish blood, but who instinctively
and gladly pay tribute to the Irish
race. They caught the infectious en-
thusiasm of the hour and did them
selves honor in honoring the memory
of the great patron saint of Ireland
who can measure the influence of
the Irish in America? American insti-
tutions and American progress are the
fruit Of the corporation of many ma
tionalities and of many mighty influ.
ences. 1t is difficult Of US to measure
the exact contribution of the different
bloods which make UP our national cit
iZenship to the development and
! growth of the great republic: 1t is diff
| ficult to tell the effect of each upon our
! institutions and our national life. We
can, however, in large way measure
the effect of each and all by their con-
tribution to the intellectual, the moral
and the commercial welfare of the peo-
pie. We may. say, without jnvidious
distinction, that, man for man, the Irish
stand for as much in our social. COM
1 mercial and national progress as do
any Of the sons Of America whether
born in our land or beyond the seas.
"The influence of the Irish in Amer
| ica is as wide as the sphere of our ma
tional influence. They brought hither
their instructive love of liberty, their
love of home and love of country Many
of them came with the sum of their
worldly belongings upon their backs.
They came with strong hands and stout
hearts, which were their main capital,
and it were indeed capital enough in
this country of boundless opportunity.
They came to cast their. fortunes with
the great republic and to go up or
down with it. They came to be Amer
leans in the fullest and best sense.
They came not as guests but as well
come members of our national house,
hold.
Il like what the Irish have done for
America and I like what America has
done for the Irish. 1t was a lucky day
for the Irish when they first set foot
upon the Atlantic coast. It was fortun.