The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-10-27
THE IRISH RACE
LOYAL TO america
one-Third Of the American People
Have Irish Blood in Their Veins
An Important Ingredient In
the American Melting Pot
Love for Ideals of Native
Land Continues as Herr
tage of Ancestry.

Lana COntlnueS as Hef1-
| tage of Ancestry.
More Irish immigrants came to
America in the mid-third of the nine
teenth century (1S47-SO) than the total
population of the colonies at the be-
ginning of the Revolution, says the
Catholic Citizen. Nineteenth century
Irish immigration exceeded numerical.
ly the northern migrations that over
turned the Roman Empire.
Irish immigration, coming, as it did,
almost exclusively to the Northern
States, gave the North it's preponder-
ance in Congress and broke down the
sectional equilibrium upon which the
institution of slavery rested. Know
Nothingism, which sought to shut out
the immigrant or prevent his naturali-
cation, was eagerly welcomed by the
South, but it was too late
Draper (American Civil War, I, 446)
puts this opinion in the mouth of a
stakeholder: "The mistake with us
has been that it was not made felony
to bring in an 1rishmpn when it was
made piracy to bring in an African"
So there was direct relationship be-
tween the Irish famine and the Eman-
cipation Proclamation. Except for
Irish immigration, the American Ne
gro would have clanked his chains for
a generation longer.
Many years ago John Randolph of
Virginia said: II have seen a white
crow and heard of black swans, but
an Irish opponent of American liber-
ty I never either saw or heard Of"
lrish-Americans have never produced
any Benedict Arnolds or Aaron Burrs.
They have never raised the red flag
above the Stars and Stripes. They
have come upon the platform of de-
mocracy with both feet and two fists.
Their Americanism is heartwhole,
without reserve, jubilant, radiant and
scintillant.
Later immigrations have learned this
lesson from the Irishmans daughter
teaching in the public schools. In
New York little son Of Italy, 10 years
old, came to his teacher and asked if
he could not have his name changed.
Why do you want to change your
name?" the teacher asked
II want to be an American. l live
in America now"
What American name would you
like?"
II have it here" he said, handing
the teacher scrap of paper on which
was written, Patrick Dennis McCar-
thy"
This seems to illustrate Chesterton's
remark: Rome has conquered ma
tons, but Ireland has conquered races"
The Irish are socially expansive peo-
pie, because neighborly by nature, and
always ready to sympathize and serve.
THE endowments of the Celt sup
plement those of the Saxon" says
Goodwin Smith. What the Saxon
lacks in liveliness, grace and warmth,
the Celt supplies. The two races
blended produce a great and gifted ma
ton" The melting pot has been
blending this immigration for two CEN
turtles, and it is not improbable that
a third of the American people today
have Irish blood in their veins.
At times an able lawyer, who wins
notable case by brilliant speech,
is found crediting it to "the dash of
Irish" in his ancestry. The newspa-
pers speak of the same fighting blood
helping public man through plucky
battle for principle or preferment; and
again we hear of the beautiful Ameri-
can actress with the rich Irish eyes,"
or Of some charming woman whose wit
and vivacity, according to the society
reporter, come naturally from an
Irish grandmother"
In like manner, Irwin Cobb, arguing
that the Celtic strain is strong among
the people of the South, says: 1.-THE
soft speech of the Southerner, his
warm heart and his hot head, his read.
mess to begin fight and to forgive
his opponent afterwards, his venera,
ton for woman's chastity and his love
for the ideals of his native land-all
these are heritages of his Irish an
cestry, transmitted to him through two
generations
Fifty years ago it was a matter of
regret with those who had the VEL
fare of the 1rish-American element at