The Irish standard., 1914-02-14
.NUOUNONO'
(Irish Press Agency
The Waite, ford Meeting.


Qrish Press Agency
The Waterford Meeting.
The meeting addressed by Mr.. John
Redmond, M. P, the Irish Leader, at
Waterford, on Sunday last, was one
of the largest and most representative
ever held in Ireland. Practically all
the Province of Munster was officially
represented through its elected pub
lie bodies, and Leinster Joined. with
Munster in making the demonstration
a great landmark in the progress OF
the Home Rule Campaign. Mr.. Red
mond has been member for Waterford
City for over twenty years, and, dur
ing that period, has been the recipient
of many flattering proofs of the conf
dence and appreciation of his con-
stituents. But, probably, not since the
days of O,Connell and the monster Re-
neal Meetings has Waterford witness
ed such an outpouring of popular 10y
atty and enthusiasm as it did on Sun
day last. Special trains from almost
every center in Muster, and from Dub
lin and the intervening stations,
brought contingents to the ancient city
by the SUR, to participate in a dem
onstration of loyalty to the Irish Lead
er and the Irish Party, and to reiterate
4ha Irish National demand for Home
Rule. The Corporation Of Cork City
was represented officially by the May
ar. Aldermen, and Councillors in their
civic robes, as were many other mu'
inequalities, and the number OF ad'
dresses presented to Mr.. Redmond oy
publicly elected bodies was unprece-
denied, The main thing to bear IN
mind about the Waterford Meeting Is
that it was the genuine and voluntary
expression of the will of the people.
Not a penny towards its organization
was paid out of the National Fund,
and every man and every public body
represented paid their own expenses.
AS an expression of public opinion, fol-
lowing a long series of other great
demonstrations held in Ireland during
the Recess, Waterford is the compile
ton of the answer of Ireland to those
who allege that her people were weak
ening in their demand for Horne Rule.
Mr.. Redmond's Speech.
Every speech of Mr.. Redmond's is
now awaited with keenest public inter
est. AS the Irish Leader, never more
trusted by the Irish people than now,
no man speaks with such authority on
the Irish question. He has certainly
never made weightier or more i'm
portant speech. At the outset, he said
that never at any time was the conf
dence of the Irish people more neces
sary to him, and never were unity, dis
cipline, and self-restraint more essen
tial to the National cause. The death
of Mr.. P. ]. Power, NJ. p, gave occa'
sion for reference to that splendid
soldier of Ireland, who died practically
at his post, another of the tragedies
which have marked the Irish National
Movement. That movement does not
after all, depend on any man or any
set of men. The soldier falls, but the
regiment marches on Proceeding
Mr.. Redmond said:
Fellow countrymen, our struggle is
about at an end. We have fought, and
we have won. But we have yet to
reap the fruits of victory, and ap
peal today, not only to my own con
stituents, but to all Nationalist Ire
land, for continuance of their trust
and for a continuance of their unity
and their discipline"
Again and again, Mr.. Redmond In
sisted on the vital Importance Of unity
loyalty, and discipline, and he may
rest assured that his words will have
full weight in Ireland during the com
ing Session, and until the Home Rule
Bill has been passed. He claimed that
after two years of acute and bitter
controversy, in Parliament and in the
country, the British people remained
absolutely mistaken in their support
of Home Rule, and that never had any
great reform in these countries en-
countered such powerful and vindic
tive opposition and emerged with lest
damage from the ordeal. l.t
1.-THE year 1913 ended with our cause
everywhere triumphant, our ranks un
broken, and our hopes for the coming
year high and confident"
Today, Mr.. Redmond said, the Irist
people were face to face with the year
1914, for which they had SO Ions
watched and waited. What are ou1