The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-21
(Continued from page H.
Mayor Hodgson On ireland

Sometimes | have wondered how a
great race of people have for so long
withstood misfortune and injustice. 1t
must be that Providence gave to Irish
men an optimistic vision that no mat
ter what troubles might come they
would still believe in another day,
| brighter and better, though so long de-
layed. And this comes today to every
freshman with new faith. Hence, my
friends, this holy war waged in spirit
in vain if any of the peoples Of the
world are to be denied the fruits of
victory that affect in a large measure
all freedom and justice. How may any
statesman of the world justify himself
lin the eyes of mankind if in this peace
conference the cradle of democracy is
destined to be denied this justice, that
justice for which these people went
out to die. do not believe that in
this age of the world and at this time
when all things We dream of have
their inspiration from the silent graves
of France that this simple justice that
the recognition of the right to work
out their own destiny as our nation
fhas been allowed to do under the prov
l-idence of God that this will be denied
| them
There is a peculiar fallacy in the
minds of many people and intelligent
men in regard to the question of De.
mocracy, who argue that justice ought
not to be given to that group or to
this group because that Justice will be
improperly used Again that this leg
islation or that may not be properly
employed by the people to whom it is
given. This is not true Democracy
They fail to realize that in this world
nations and individuals have to work
out their own elevation through their
own blunders; that one who is truly
democratic at heart will not question
as to whether self-government would
prove to be best or must necessarily
be right but that the question is that
every nation has the right whether
wise or foolish, to make it's own blum.
ders and so achieve the high place OF
which it dreams. Centuries ago this
fight was going on and it is going on
today, because my friends, whenever
the spirit of liberty is right in mans
heart, all the repression i'll the world
cannot make his aspirations vain, and
as God gave to the heart of man this
, love of liberty and Justice so until the
: final supreme achievement will he
dream this wonderful dream. The
great Henry Grattan declared that
never would he be satisfied until the
i meanest cottager was free; that by
Gods grace he would never consent
that they be enslaved; that they may
go naked but never in irons.
The principles of Home Rule have
been greatly confused in discussing
the question. The principles have be.
come obscured because in discussing
the question people try to make us
think that it is a religious question
for the instance-that it is a religious
dispute. This in spite of the fact that
the great nationalists of Ireland have
never been divided along such lines
and that Protestant patriot like
Robert Emmett looks down from the
walls of every cottage home No, the
truth is that all have been bound to.
gether with one single idea-Irish ma
tionality-t one idea free nation
And so We have come together tonight
to help in achieving that dream of
lreland,' knowing that if Ireland is
denied her great aspirations that every
other country, America, England, all
will be denied because you cannot
give Liberty and Justice to some and
withhold it from others or do wrong
to one man without in some degree
visiting it upon all other people of the
world, and so we have gathered here,
believe, tonight to go on record as
favoring the principle of free self-goy
ernment for ireland
That great Irislman, Daniel O'Con
nell, speaking of Irishmen said some
thing like this: 1T is country great
: enough to live for; great enough to
die for and therefore afcountry great
enough to be patient for In this
hour, my friends, we are free to think
as he did-that while we demand jus
} tice with no lessening of our sentiment
and no passion in it,swe demand a
! simple right. u'sas
One who loves Americas great tfadi
tiens; theigreatttraditionso the world;
traditions of liberty who sincerely
hope that when this War shall have
been finally settled; when at last the
statesmen of the world shall come
home to render an account of the
work at the peace table they will be
able to say to the world that this was
in fact a world war of democracy an6
justice set up over the free people oil
} the world, not only for Jugo Slav and
], Czecho Slovak, but for Irishlnen also;
that when the people born in Ireland
: and of Irish descent shall meet there
| after they may have in their minds
feye the picture of that most splendid
! martyr, Robert Emmett, standing in
the dock Let no man write his cpl
, taph until Ireland was free. And on
} that day, my friends, there will be
the voices of millions leaping forth
Fin unison with that of Robert Emmet
t(yBll0 will mot ha tlnrn s81y,d tho 4broe