The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-26
A TRIBUTE TO
PATRICK FORD
BY II. Il MONKS

Irishmen the world over will hear with
heartfelt regret that Patrick Ford is
dead. Wherever Irishmen assembled the
Irish World was read the name of Patrick
Ford was known and loved. He was
power and influence among Irishmen and
their descendants to the ends of the
earth, and never did he use that power
or influence to serve his own personal
aims or ambitions. Few men in their
time have fought a longer or harder
fight than he fought, and now he is
dead a second Moses. in sight of the
Promised Land, towards which for over
half century he has led his people.
The tory press in London sets up a
most unseemly chorus in gloating over
the death of a political opponent, evil
IDENTIFY little knowing that no panegyric
pronounced by a most ardent admirer
could be more eloquent tribute to Pat
rick Ford. To have earned the denun-
ciation of Irelands enemies and oppres-
sors is proof positive that he also earned
the love and gratitude of Irishmen The
live ass kicks the dead lion, and thus
it is that the dead patriot is made an
object of attack by those who trembled
in his presence while alive. 1t is not
from such sources that Irishmen will
draw their conclusions upon the services
which Patrick Ford rendered to the cause
of Ireland, but rather from the spirit of
the people in that country, and which
is so largely due to the advice and as
sistance given by him and his news
paper.
Foolishly laying the fiattering JUNCTION
to its heart that Patrick Ford "leaves
behind him neither successors nor imi-
tators." the London Daily Mail would
have its readers believe that when the
"arch criminal died the crime of love
of liberty died also Not so. Patrick
Ford is only one in long list of "crim-
inals' whose names emblazon the pages
of Irish history, and as the list length
ems so grows in strength the doctrines
they advocated. Under better and happier
conditions Patrick Ford would have re-
ioced in the prosperity of a people from
whom he sprung and with whose strug-
giles he sympathized, and he would have
blessed the hand that restored liberty
and justice to them, but these conditions
he was not destined to see. So far from
his not having successors or imitators,
it might be well to remind the tory press
and its readers that 1t would be we'll
for them If Patrick Ford's successors
stop at being only imitators.
Not only in the cause of Ireland but
in the cause of religion, of good morals,
of pure women and honest men, of un-
alloyed and unadulterated Americanism,
of all that tends to make this life bet
ter and happier. Patrick Ford was
champion. Wherever hypocrisy masque-
raded as sincerity his pen. like the spear
of Michael exposed the fraud; wherever
power was used to crush and money to
corrupt. his pen pointed to the oppressor
and corrupter regardless of wealth or
station; wherever the poor and the weak
of any creed. color or condition cried out
against injury or injustice that cry was
trumpet-tongued the world o~s
Patrick Ford is dead-may he rest in
peacel He leaves behind him a record
that Irishmen will treasure and remem-
ber with pride. He made liberty" his
watchword. and to his millions Of des-
ciples the word comes down as an Inherit
ance TO be preserved even at the cost
OF life. His enemies have written his
epitaph-hateful to them. faithful to Ire
land