A Protest

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 47, 21 November 1907, Page 9

A Protest

The cackle of geese once saved Rome. And the comically serious organisation of fat-witted ' patriots ' known as the Independent Order of Americans „ have set themselves the task of saving the United States from the dire consequences of having the new gold coinage graced wiEB the beautiful face of a sweet Irish Catholic^ maiden, M&ry Cunningham'. At their annual convention in Harrisburg a few weeks ago, the Independent Order sent • a protest to the United States Government against the stamping of the face of the young Irish girl upon tfce gold coin designed by the great sculptor, Mr. St. Gaudens. Racial and religious passion is usually fiercely in earnest. Its" strong hate is like a corroding acid, that eats up, not alone sweet charity, but the sense of wit and humor, as well as the other gentle things of social intercourse. This will in part account for the fact that the grotesque humor of the protest seems never .to have struck the Independents. The remainder of the explanation will be found in the romance, ' Dennis Hegairty's Wife 1 , in which .Thackeray, writing, of lackwits of the Independent Order type, says that the born fool can no more see his folly- than he can .see his own ears. Yet, in the case under consideration, the ears seem- to be conspicuously long.