The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-03-21

That Is nigh tribute to quiet man
who seldom spoke and never wrote"
His statue Of Farragut at Madison
Square Garden Of New York, which,
to use the words of another, was a
high conception of sculpture in a
more perfect craftsmanship and a vast
infusion Of vitality in our peoples
memorial. shall never forget the
feeling which came over me as look
ed at his unnamed statue in Rock
Creek cemetery in Washington, d. C.
A statue Of woman sitting in chair,
garment over her head and body.
surrounded by cluster of vines which
added to the melancholy figure which
gives the suggestion of the great mys.
terry OF death. The Shaw memorial
In Boston and the Lincoln statue in
Lincoln Park stamped the builder as
the greatest of American sculptors.
Among the celebrated painters we
have Thomas Moran, James Francis
Murphy and Thomas Sully. In music
we have Francis Scott Key, who wrote
that immortal song. "The Star Span.
gled Banner" and John O'Neil, the
celebrated teacher who gave us,
among others. Madame Nordica, and
Edgar Kelley and Dan Emmett, au-
thor Of Dixie" and in our own day,
John Mccormick.
In literature we have Father John
O'Brien. whose history of the mass
has passed through fourteen editions;
James Sullivan, governor of Massachu.
sets, and writer of colonial history;
Maurice Francis Egan, the American
diplomat and Father Ryan, the South
ern poet, and John Boyle O'Rielly.
In the educational field, the names
of Rev. William Tennent, who estab.
lished the log college in New Jersey,
which in turn gave us Princeton col
lege, and in time gave us Wilson, will
ever be remembered as one of our
early pioneers in education. Nor will
DR.. Blair, who gave US William and
Mary College, nor the Limerick
schoolmaster, Sullivan, in New Hamp.
shire, who will not only be remember
ed as a pioneer in educational work,
but also as the father of the famous
Sullivans, who won high rank in the
Continental army.
A nation might be rich in art and
have made great advances in the sci
ences, and have wealth of literature,
but still be poor If there were not run
ming through every fiber of it's struc.
ture and permeating its people deep
and sincere religious sentiment. The
name of Rev. John Carroll, first arch
bishop of Baltimore; Rev. John
Hughes, first archbishop of New
York; Archbishop McClosky. arch
bishop Ryan of Philadelphia and Car
dinal Gibbons, Cardinal Farley, Car
dinal O'Connell, and not forgetting the
distinguished Archbishop John Ire
land. are a galaxy of names which
stand not only as recognized church
leaders,. but leaders of public thought
in America.
In this brief survey, we have men.
toned some of the names of the emf
nent Irishmen and the sons of Irish
men and their contributions to Amer
lea, but there Is another great class
Of heroes sometimes overlooked. re-
fer to the men in the ranks. 1 refer
to the unknown thousands who made
it possible for generals to win VIC
tories and for governments to be es-
tablished. I refer to the immigrant
who came to these shores with good
wife and little family struggling
against new forces for existence, CIV
ing, sacrificing, in order that those
who followed him might have the very
things which he denied himself. 1t
would indeed be objectionable to
speak of the work of any great man
and forget the mother at whose knee
he drew his inspirations which paved
the way for his future. Whenever l
think of Lincoln, the tall, sad man d.
recting the armies Of great nation,
outlining the policies of statesmen,
think of his mother who died in that
little cabin in Kentucky, isolated by
many miles from the nearest neigh
Dor, and who was lowered in the earth
by the kind hands of father. No
eloquent words, nor minister of God
to offer prayer. When the long win.
ter passed, the flowers grew over her
grave, while the requiem was sung by
the little birds of spring. I can illus
trate this point with little story.
Some years ago was a passenger on
boat called the Alliance, leaving
Coos Bay, Ore, for Portland. We left
Coos Bay about o'clock in the eve
ming, and going across the bar, our
vessel struck the bottom. It was not
until midnight when the sea became
heavy and the winds whistled around
the corners and the electric lights
went out that the passengers realized
that the vessel was filling with water.
There was an awful scene on board,
men and women rushed backward and
forward, half crazed at the thought of