Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-03-12

we TIL the recurrence or ST. PatriCks
a. Day, the annual festival OF the
7 ~ patron saint of Ireland public at
tentIon naturally turns to the sons and
daughters of the Emerald Isle who have
crossed the ocean and to their descend
ants who have made a place for them
selves I'm the western world. or all the
transplanted national holidays that have
place on the American calendar st. Pat
rick's Day is the most extensively OBJ
served, and no wonder for fully two
thirds of the widely scattered Irish race
are now I'm the United States and Cana
da. 1t has been aptly said that Boston
and New York. and not Belfast and Dub
lin are, in this century. the greatest
Irish cities i'm the world.
1t is no eNagEcration to say that no
other race has done so much for the
American continent. Throughout the en-
tire evolution of the United States as 81
world power the Irish have been ever to
the fore, and they have played no small
part In the development OF the Dominion
Of Canada, where the natural resources
and opportunities fer quick wealth have
attracted these energetic people In much
the same degree as has the United States.
The Irish in America have been leaders
and pioneers IN every line Of progress,
and at least seven of our % presidents
have had Irish blood In tleir VEINS. name
" Jackson, Buchanan. Arthur, Polk. Mon
roe, Mckinney and Roosevelt
circumstance that gives ireland eSpe-
clal credit To the making of the modern
America is that the Irish were here lend
Ing hand from the earliest days. There
might be cited several different nationaIt-
ties whose representatives have been very
conspicuous IN America OF late years, bul
who were in 90 sense pioneers, having gain
ed .oothold at n comparatively recent
date. The hrSt distinctive Irish settlement
IN America was founded at Logan In
the year 1899 The town of Londonderry
New Hampshire 3 famous Irish com
munity was settled In lTlg. Once started
however the tide of Irish Immigration
Bowed rapidly across the Atlantic aud
statistics bear proof that in the grea;
struggle which resulted in the f0uudin-.
of the United States as an independent
nation nearly one-half OF Gen. George
Washington'S army was made of men OF
Irish birth or Irish descent.
The Friendly Sons OF ST. Patrick was
one OF the first organizations in the coun-
try TO support General Washington with
men and money. having raised, at the
outset. a fund of half million dollars
for the cause of independence. That docu-
ment OF pre-eminent Significance. the
Declaration OF Independence, had three
signers OF Irish birth namely Mathew
Thornton. James Smith and George Tsy-
lor-and six others of Irish blood. These
men OF Irish descent included the famous
first si@ner." John Hancock, and the
wefi-known Charles Carroll. OF Carroll
ton.
However. il was as lighters that the
Irish chiefly distinguished themselves iu
that strenuous period which witnessed
the birth of the greatest republic. Mad
Anthony Wayne was one Of the most
conspicuous Irish warriors for the cause
OF freedom. but be shared houors with
such leaders as Gen. Richard Montgon-
cry, who fell at Quebec: Gen. George
Clinton. Gen. Henry Knox and Gen. joan
stark, the hero OF Bennington. John Ssr-