AMERICAN DOLLARS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 941, 14 January 1911, Page 4

AMERICAN DOLLARS.

MR REDMOND’S CAMPAIGN. ; NTRAORDINARY ENTHUSIASM. Re r erring to the collection by Redmond of 200,000 dollars in 'Vraerica to maintain battle in Eng ’nd, Mr T. P. O’Connor w'-tein the Chicago Tribune as iVR-.ws : la many years of prolessioual and political life I never saw a more remarkable, thrilling, and moving scene than at the convention of the United Irish League to-day. I omit all minor incidents and go straight to what, after all, was the main purpose and test of the whole transaction, and that is the amount of financial assistance to the Irish struggle in which the convention was to eventuate. The big subscription opened the proceedings. One was 10,000 dollars from Patrick Ford on his own behalf and on behalf of the readers of his paper, the Irish World. Massachusetts, speaking through Mr T. B. Fitzpatrick, the national treasurer of the United Irish League, followed with a promise of 15,000 dollars. Pennsylvania, through Mr Donahue, bettered this with a promise of 20.000 dollars. Major Buckley promised for the Stale of Illinois 10.000 dollars, “as a minimum,” the Major emphatically added. Missouri, through John L. Leahy, promised 5000. New York undertook to find 10,000 dollars. Then various cities promised from 2000 dollars to 5000 dollars. When this had gone on for some time individual subscriptions began to be shouted out. Mr Reilly, of Philadelphia, opened the ball with a subscription of 1000 dollars. T, P. Fitzpatrick immediately followed with a promise of 1000 dollars for himself and 100 dollars for his wife and for each of his children. As the convention saw the total of 150,000 dollars was being neared excitement increased. When Ryan announced that 140.000 dollars had been subscribed the convention could control its feelings no longer, and every man rose to his feet and cheered and waved flags for several minutes. This outburst of infectious and sometimes almost delirious enthusiasm was largely helped by Ryan’s extraordinary handling of the convention. Standing the whole time, waving his gavel like the baton of a conductor, now melting everybody with a pathetic appeal and then sending the whole convention into roars of laughter by some ioke, shouting for more subscriptions when there was a lull of even a few seconds, restless, versatile, running the whole gamut of every kind of utterance, this incomparable presiding officer drove the subscription up Lorn point to point. Higher and higher rose the subscription until in the end men seemed to be swept along an irresistible tide of enthusiasm. First they got up and doubled their subscriptions, then they got up and trebled them. °ne woman gave a subscription in memory of her dead brother’s love for Ireland. And she bore a G irmau-soundiug name like Pfc i. in a few seconds Ryan called out 151,000 dollars. • He could near the strain of the ever-growing excitement no longer. He shouted ■:mt in a broken voice : 1 ‘ Praise Cod, from whom all blessings tic • sat down and silently wept. me convention by this time had lost its head, and the delegates, leaping to their feet, cheered wildly for minutes, while the chairman sat with bowed head and with his handkerchief to his weeping e\ - es. Throughout this scene Mr Redmond sat silent, observant, making no sign.