The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-17
NE DAILY MlSSOULlAN
SUNDAY, MARCH II, 1918.
ST. PATRICK's DAY; 1919.
GoTAellsHEp 1s7a

On this day Of each year, the
men and women of the Irish race
pause from their tasks to do rev
erencc to the patron saint of Ire
land. In the remotest corners of
the earth, where this race has
been scattered like the leaves
before the wind, there breathes
this morning a spirit of unity that
centuries Of oppression have not
killed. The blood of martyrs,
the fortunes of the dungeon, the
exile of patriots, the murders on
the scaffold have strengthened
rather than weakened the ties
that bind this brave, impctuous
and heroic people. On this day,
more than fifteen centuries after
the uncertain date Of st. Pat
rick's birth, we may say truly
that there is deeper meaning to
this anniversary than ever be-
fore.
Why? Because on the battle
Scared fields of Europe the men
OF Irish blood are doing a full
part in the death struggle to save
the liberties of not only their
race, but of all mankind. At
yimy Ridge and Ypres their bod
les lie side by side with those OF
The British grenadiers, the hated
redcoats Of their forefathers. In
the American armies are the de-
scendants of the gallant lrishmen
who were driven from their own
land in the past century. All are
fighting for human rights which
the Huns seek to destroy, and
when the day Of victory is at
hand, Irish valor will wear gar
land of the faircst flowers. That,
indeed. is the surest route to the
goal for which Ireland has been
struggling for centuries.
OF the Ireland Today, it may be
said that, despite the great, dew
astating war of nations, her own
future was never SO hopeful. The
heroic efforts of her sons in the
struggle have made certain the
restoration of home rule. AT the
call Of her great leaders OF the
period Of the war, the late John
Redmond and I. p. O'Connor, the
true men Of Ireland have fought
for The freedom of Great Britain
as well as for their own land and
soon they must enjoy the fruits
of victory. The few misguided
men of their own race who call
themselves the Sim Feiners, ano
would ioolis4sly- throw away all
that has been won for the Irish
cause, will not count for much
despite their fanatic idealism.
The conditions of industrial
and agricultural life in lrclant
are interesting. Never befor,
were Irish farmers so prosper,
Gus. The cost Of living is mucf
lower than in other parts o
Great Britain, and even in Amer
lea. There is no lack of food
and there are no meatless or po'
.tatoless days. Labor is plentiful
and factories are running over
time and are increasing in mum
Der. There has been no imml
grafton; indeed the living condi
tons are said TO be better in Ire
land than in almost any othe
place on the globe, certainly thai
in Europe.
There is always special signifi
canoe in Montana to this anniver
sary. Somewhere in the shift
ing sands of the Missouri rive
near Fort Benton lie the bone
of one Of the most famou
and gallant of Irish heroes
Thomas Francis Meaghcr, a
Irish exile sent as a convict t
Van Dieman's land in 1910 an
who escaped to America in 1S5:
and at the beginning of the Civ
War organized the Irish brigad,
He became a brigadier genera
and fought in many of the sever
est battles. In 1866 he was mad
governor of Montana, where h
died in the waters of the Mis-
souri, On July I, 1867. His mem
Dry is engraved indeHbly on tn
scroll of Irish patriots and wi
live forever in the history of oil
new commonwealth.
At a time when spinelcsS pac
fists and yellow Socialists are 5,
cretly eyhorting against the us
of arms and telling us that it
unchristian, we are mindful {
the words of Gen. Mcagher i
an address delivered 1T Dublin O
July %, 1916. He said, Il do III