The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-08-31

condition of small towns, of cottages
and farm houses in the country dis
tricts. 1t is true, a coat of whitewash
is applied now and then and vines
grow apace on the gables of the hous-
es, but the back yards get little or. no
attention; indeed, the front ones are
too often grossly neglected. For in
some places the dunghill and cesspool
are yet in dangerous proximity to the
kitchen door We know from expert
ence that many people fight against
the board Of health and against the
laws of sanitation, and over in Eng
land there is no end of trouble in over
coming the prejudices of John Bull
against the doctors. In Ireland the
dear. good people are wont to say that
sickness and death are ever and al
ways the will of God. Fevers are
common in Ireland; and the increase
of consumption and of insanity among
the population in country districts is
alarming. And let me say here that
believe Sir Thomas Upton has more
to do, or as much to do, in bringing
about these results as either Jamison or
Guinness, or both. Tea drinking is a
passion in Ireland, and it appears to
be the only beverage of many poor
people.
Outside the United States the notion
of local government is very vague. 1t
Is vague in Franco and in Italy, and
in some other countries which l have
visited. Here in Ireland therefore the
people are not whit behind some 9TH
ers that l know. At least, parishes
are better organized and the people
are looked after better in Ireland than
they are in some other countries. I
wish to distinctly state that 1 do not
include England among the countries
to which refer, for in England 1 con-
slider that the Catholics are splendidly
organized. In this connection 1 do
not mean that there is a sodality here
and guild there. No, what mean is
organization and unity among Catho-
lies of all classes. There is that in
England especially. I am not prepared
to admit that the Irish have no genius
for organization. Assuredly they have
shown a talent in that direction in
America and in Australia, yet who will
deny that there was a lamentable lack
Of it in 1898? 1t was also wanting
when an explosion defeated Emmet's
plot; when O'Connell was brought to
trial, and when John Mitchell, shackel-
ed. was led aboard the convict ship
which took him here to Spike Island in
Cork harbor before proceeding on her
way to far off Tasmania. James
Stephens. who was perhaps the best
organizer among them all, made only
poor Roadway, as the breaking up of
the Fenian society clearly demonstrat-
ed Some years ago was at the sta
ton in Monaghan, when Parnell ar
rived there to plant the. Land League
flag in the north The boldness of that
attempt made the London press howl,
and half the country had gathered to
see Parnell but in all that throng
there was nobody in authority. there
was no committee of reception and
nobody knew what to do. Orsaniza-
ton there was none; but of enthusi-
asm there was enough to spare.
Doubtless the smallness Of a coun-
try has something to do with the views
and feelings of its people. 1t is wei,
known. however, that the Irish people
are predetermined and generous to
fault: yet they are slow to forgive in
dividuals or families against whom
they may have a real or fancied grev-
ance. OF course, you remember the
story which is told Of the Scotchman.
wherein the dying father regretted
having forgiven an enemy, and coun-
seled his son never to show similar
weakness. Hard feelings and ground
less suspicious are not unknown sins
among pious people in Ireland. fear
there are people over here who fire.
quent the sacraments regularly, but
who have never yet thought of the
duty OF forgiving or Of forgetting as
condition necessary for the pardon of
sin. And these feelings are deep, let
me tell you.
l am glad to say it is a long time
since there was any bitterness or feel
ing between Catholics and Protestants
in Ireland. and there is none at all
now. One evening last week a band
called to serenade me. I knew moth
ing of the affair until 1 was invited
on the lawn, where met all the Prot
estant neighbors. who had come with
the Catholics to meet me. and as they
expressed it. to listen to Yankee
speech. Standing on the brow of a