The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-10-07
WILL WORK FOR
IRISH HOME RULE
English Liberal Club Visiting
Ireland as a Preparation for
Coming Campaign.
Will Send Speakers Through Eng
land, Scotland and Wales in
Interest of Irish Cause.
Are rendered a Warm Reception in
Dublin Where John Redmond
Greets Them.

powerful Liberal organization in
England, known as the Eighty Club"
is at present visiting Ireland with a.
view to getting first hand information
regarding conditions there, as prep
aration for the coming Home Rule
campaign. The members Of the party
will, on their return to England, be-
gin the campaign under the auspices
of the Liberal Federation. An effort
will be made to send speakers through
out England, Scotland and Wales and
will enlighten public opinion on Ire
lands needs and the reasonableness of
her demand. The party was warmly
received in Dublin where meeting
was held and an address made by Mr..
John Redmond. In speaking to the
members of the Eighty Club" Mr..
Redmond said:
You will allow me in a few brief
sentences to give expression to the
pleasure that we all feel at the op-
portunity afforded to us of welcoming
to the capital of Ireland those men,
bers of the Eighty Club who have done
us the honor of paying a visit to our
country. We in this country are well
aware of the. character Of, the, club.
We know that the members are able
cio ctio Of
gressive and Democratic reform, and,
not least, the reform of the govern
ment of Ireland. In 1885 Mr.. Glad
stone found amongst the members of
the Eighty Club some of the ablest
defenders of his great policy for the
reconciliation of Ireland, and in the
1885 to 1892, when again Home Rule
majority was returned to Parliament,
the members of the club took prom
inent part. and from that day down
to this the members of the club have
been amongst the most enthusiastic
and consistent supporters of the pol
ICY VI JuSIlCS " IL C1clAO.
In that great and historic victory
which only yesterday was won, when
the absolute veto of the House of
Lords was destroyed, and destroyed
forever, the members of the Eighty
Club played an equally honorable part.
We, therefore, as Irishmen, naturally
70 ~
come them with all our hearts in the
name of our country. Those men who
have come amongst us have not come
here to advocate Home Rule upon
Irish platforms, becaure they know as
well as we do that ive-siXths Of the
Irish people are passionately attached
pendence. Neither do they come here
to endeavor to find salvation" for
themselves upon the Irish question, or
to ask us in this country to provide for
them convictions upon the question of
Home Rule. AS students of history
and practical politicians. we know
by conviction, upon principle, and not
only for Ireland, as I understand, but
for every portion of the Empire that
desires to govern itself.
Many Needed Reforms.
But many. many things have hap
pened in Ireland since the great cam
paigns of 1885 and 1893. When the
members of the Eighty Club come
amongst us in the year 1911 they will
find an Ireland in many respects
transformed. They will no longer find
a country justly described as the most
"distressful country" the world has
ever seen. They will no longer find
people apathetic. respondent, almost
despairing. On the contrary, they will
find a country which at long last is
beginning to prosper. They will find
a people, alert, elf-confident, self-re-
liant, and strong in the confidence for
the future.
Great reforms which could have been
obtained under native government
and a native Legislature, as a mere
matter of course, many years-aye,
might say generations-ago, have only
been won by us after many long years
of s,Ifferinp of sacrifice Of violent