The Irish standard., 1908-01-25

brought that city before the world in
q distinctly new character, says ].
Bryce Killen in a Dublin letter to the
Irish World. It has also suggested tra-
ditlons and recollections Of "Belfasts"
long since passed away. For more than
half century, it was best known to
quiet people at home and abroad as
one Of the last refugees in Western Eu-
rope, Of that degenerate order Of chiv-
airy which delights in riot, and that
form Of religionism which seeks to
prove its orthodoxy by brickbats and
paving stones. To give Belfast men
their due, and Belfast women as well,
for the zeal born Of the occasion not
seldom produced for = town a rough
revival Of the Amazonian period, they
could WELD the materialistic argument
with 4 force and effect unsurpassed in
the history Of either ancient or modern
rowdyism. They made broken heads
"a speciality" as. the aspiring artisan
or trader might say, and broken win
dows q popular method Of ventilation
for churches and dwelling houses or
other buildings which too obtrusively
stood In their way, or about whose in.
mates and frequenters they desired to
give IN emphatic expression Of opin-
ion.
But the craze for these and similar
picturesque performances, we are told
is over; youth, to put it mildly eu-
phemistic phrase, "has had it's fling;
the factions spirit its day Of folly,
and Belfast, appreciating the lesson
of the strikes, stands before the world
today, wearied, no doubt, but wiser
from her experience, clothed as the
Scriptural figure has it and in her most
violent "ructions." Belfast could new
er be accused Of neglecting her Scrip
lures, and tin her right mind," as
the Champion Of Labor. This is in
deed remarkable change, but her his
tory from the beginning has been one
Of remarkable changes and inconsist-
encies.
A recent writer describes her as a
'.City Of riots and religious revivals." !"
Even her superiority in ship building
must give place to her pre- -eminence
in these. This would have been very
pleasing to the noisy and militant soul
of the Belfast which it is assumed has
so happily passed away. There is a
resemblance in some respects between
the ordinary Belfastman and certain
advanced type of Yankee hustler" "
TO be first in whatever he UNDER
takes, whether the same be morally
good or bad, and without any spec
tally scrupulous regard to the means
employed is a. leading feature in the
ambition Of the latter. Aut Caesar
aut nullus-supremacy or complete
obscurity, is his favorite motto, and
one which, under proper control, has
made the American deservedly and
honorably first in so many things.
<aAAOA6 AAAoAA IS"ASS DSAAoSS Ado AoISA
the earliest and most varied associa-
tions with America. Those associa-
tions are older than the United States
itself, and are not confined to mere
matters of business. They date from
q time, and are of a nature, which had
an effect on the American as we'll as
the Belfast character, and appealed
more deeply to the sympathies of
both. Belfast was the first place in
Ireland from which the stream Of vest
ward emigration, which has since
swelled to such enormous proportions.
began to flow, and began to flow from
circumstances that have not yet quite
ceased to operate.
1t is the first place in or neyr
which the evil circumstances which
afterwards made emigration so copi-
Gus a factor in Irish life, first
distinctly showed themselves-the first
place whore the lewlsss and anti-so'