The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-30

binatton against rack nting and ex-
tortion. lIo knew too that invincible
as was the power Of tho people, when
united and determined in defence Of
their homes and their freedom, they
were apt to be too trusting and TOO
conllding where appeals We're made 20
their generosity or thei,. patriotism IN
behalf of u class whose record Of op-
preston and wrong was without par
allel in history.
Michael Davitt never made war on
the landlords as individuals, except
In so far as they became insepurable
from landlordisn as q system. But
against tho system he waged war
without ccasing. 1t was an i'll day COR
Irish landlordism when the Davitt ca-
mi]y were thrown nu. of their little
homo. and sent forth, pcnniless and
'ricndless. to make n,ir way in ths
world. Who that witnessed the scene
or their eviction would have dreamed
that, after long years. il. the prime or
manhood, that little dark-eyed by
would come back to Ireland with the
memory OF that burned into his brain.
and that there, on the site Of the hum
bic home OF his fathers, he would :n-
"ng,latc the movcmc mt that was 20
end only with the extinction of tho
system which had driven him forth to
perish, like thousands Of his race, il
God had not preserve, him to become
their hvcngcr and drliverer?
His being turned nGrift on the world
with his parents, his boyhood and
youth, the loss of his right arm while
working in Lancashire mill, his COR
ncction with the Fcnian movement,
his loyalty to his comrades, his awful
suffcrlngs in penal servitude, his ,f-
forts ut sclf-education, his manly cour-
age ana Independence Of character his
Sclf-sacrificc and devotion, his ;nl-
mcnse achievement, his rugged hons
csty and modest simplicity, the whole
story OF his life is unsurpassed in the
pages OF romance, HnI is one of tho
most precious 1cgacies which he ;1as
hcqucathed to his country. I do .lut
think I could recommend to the young
mon of Ireland any more fascinating
or profitable study than the life md
writings and speeches OF Michael Oa-
witt. His sympathics were always with
the class from which he sprang. lie
WAS the son OF a farmer and from
childhood he was Injured to hardship
and toll. Tho cause OF the farmers,
therefore, that is, Of the very small
farmers, Of tho agricultural laborers,
and OF tho workers in the towns, was
always dear to him. and no never
missed All oportunity Of helping 1t
forward.
in an Irish Parliament, Michael Da-
witt would have been Il champion and
ono Of the natural leaders of these
classes. He always held that it w.,s
the duty of tho farmers, once their
own position had been improved 20
assist in amcliorating the condition Of
the laborers, and he was not slow TO
dcnouncc, in no measured terms, those
selfish farmers who, having got all
they wanted, were grasping and mean
enough to oppose the claims of the Ia
borers. Tho cause Of the workers n
the towns he made his own from tho
start, and he taught them that their
cause and that Of the agricultural !.L-
bOrers were interdependent ,nd
formed only different parts of the sane
great social problem.
Michael Davitt was among the first
to recognize the great possibilities for
both of an understanding between the
workers of Ireland IND Of Great Brit
ain. The landlords aud the capitalists
were the enemies Of beth, and it was
only by the cooperation Of the two
democracies that the privileged posi-
tion Of these classes could be success
fully assailed. When this fact is re-
cognized by the British democracy. it