The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-03-20
SURPRISING THE IRISH PAPERS N IRELAND
More Papers Suppressed In Ireland Were Suppressed in
4S and 9SMore Troops In Ireland Than Times
John Devoy Reviews Situation in Ireland in New
York Emmett Day Address
John Dewey spoke as follows:

John Dewey spoke as follows:
We are here tonight not alone to
honor Robert Emmet, but to declare
our purpose to write Emmet's epitaph
and make Ireland a nation. We honor
Robert Emmett, not simply because he
gave his life for Ireland. We honor
all the men who died for ireland,
whether on the battlefield, on the scaf-
fold or in the prison cell, but we hon.
or Robert Emmet in an especial man.
ner because he alone of all the men
who died for Ireland bequeathed to the
Irish people in his death speech set
of principles and policy. 1t was his
last will and testament and he made
the Irish people his executors.
Now. after the very eloquent and
beautiful address that you have al
ready heard on the life and death of
Robert Emmett, it will be entirely un-
necessary for me to say another word
on the subject. l will concern myself
and think you concern yourselves,
more with his position and prospects
of the policy which Robert Emmett rep
resented than with events of the past.
We have right for the first time in
nearly half century to look to the
immediate future with stronger hope
and a firmer conviction of the ulti.
mate triumph of our cause than it has
been the lot of any lrishmen to do dur.
ing our lifetime. We are told by some
of our countrymen. though they are
decreasing in numbers every day, that
the epitaph of Robert Emmett will be
written when the Home Rule bill that
is now hanging up among the cobwebs
of the English parliament becomes q
law. That is an absurdity.
After about thirty-five years of more
or less peaceful agitation, during which
Ireland was able to wiring some
things from England that were of {
little benefit to the people, a measure
which they call "The Better Govern
ment of Ireland Bill" meaning the bet
ter government of Ireland by England
was passed by the British parliamen
and then promptly suspended Tha
suspension was agreed upon by boil
the English parties, by the Liberia
party, which had been under prom
Use to the Irish people for great many
years to pass such a measure, and by
the Tory party, which was strongly op
posed to it. Now. the Tory party al
ways controls the house Of lords and II
always supported by a majority of tn.
people of England, as distinct from
the people of Great Britain and Ire
land. The object Of suspending tina
measure was to carry out sinister
purpose. The measure itself is poo,
enough. 1t is described pretty accur
ately in the resolutions, SO need no
waste more words on it.
/ Under that measure, even IL it up
piled to all Ireland, the parliamen
which it would bring into existenc,
would be powerless to do anything o
any account for Ireland 1t would b.
prohibited by numerous provisions IL
the act from doing anything to und,
the havoc wrought by hundreds o
years of hostile English Legislation
against the Industries of ireland.
could do absolutely nothing to promot
or foster those industries. Irelan,
would remain as 1t is now, mer
cattle farm and cabbage garden 70
England. Her industries would re
main undeveloped, her magniicen
fishing grounds would still be exploit
ed by foreigners, and a great many o
, her young men and women would cor
, tinue to seek abroad the living whic
England denies them in Ireland. BE
cause the economic system that pre-
walls in Ireland is the direct result Q
English rule. But accompanying thi
measure is an amending bill which
also hung up, to be refurbished an
, made to look little more attractive
Ireland behaves herself during tn
war. That amending bill exclude
from the authority of the Irish parlis
ment at least four counties Of Ulste
and IL the Unionists have their way
will exclude the whole province. Th
object is to divide Ireland POLITICAL
along religious lines for the expires
!. purpose of perpetuating the religion
q strife which England introduced int
a Ireland, has kept alive and fostered
}. Ireland for her own evil purposes. Th
y government of Ireland by the littl
:, Dublin parliament under such circun
o stances would be impossible. 1t woul
n dislocate the whole administration (
8 the country. Its efforts to do anythir
o for the country would result in abs
:, lutte and ignoble failure.
d When that bill had been put on tt
6 statute book, as they call it, meanir
e put on the shelf, put out Of sight, En-
l. land was on the eve of war. She WI
l, confronted with the most dangero'
situation that she has had to face sim