IRISH ORGANIZE FOR BOND DRIVE — Hundred Thousand to Be Sold in Montana of Ten Millions Offered

The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, 1920-01-24, p.7

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Summary

Major Irish-republican-bond-drive organising meeting held the previous evening (Fri Jan 23 1920) in Judge Lynch's courtroom Butte. Part of a $10-million national Irish-republican bond drive — Montana's allocation $100,000. Intensive work to open Feb 12 (Lincoln's birthday, chosen over Feb 14 in deference to American history); drive to end on St. Patrick's Day 1920. NATIONAL FRAME. The bond drive is led by the American Commission on Irish Independence (chairman Frank P. Walsh — former chair of the National War Labor Board, future Versailles delegate for Irish recognition). State chairman is James E. Murray (later US Senator from Montana, 1934-1961). The bonds will be NON-NEGOTIABLE and NON-INTEREST until the Irish Republic is recognised by the nations of the world (principally the US) AND British forces withdraw from Irish territory; six months after recognition + withdrawal, the bonds convert to gold bonds of the Republic. Denominations $10 through $10,000. SILVER BOW COUNTY COMMITTEE: - Chairman — John J. Caplis - Treasurer — J. J. Harrington - Secretary — Mrs. Mamie Lenihan - Members — Barry O'Leary, John Gribben, Judge J. J. Lynch, **James J. Murphy**, W. J. Sewell, Catherine Harrington, Margaret O'Meara KEY QUOTES: - Judge Lynch: "The liberation of Ireland is as sure as the fact that we are sitting here; whether it happens today, tomorrow or years hence, it is sure to happen. Empires as great, as powerful and as potential as Great Britain have fallen. These bonds will help bring the date of that fall nearer." - Major Deeney: "The wedge for the dissolution of the British empire is being driven. Ireland, the wedge, will welcome any agency that will expedite the dissolution." POLITICAL CONTEXT. January 1920 — the Irish War of Independence was 12 months in (Soloheadbeg Jan 21 1919). The First Dáil was sitting (under British proscription); Eamon de Valera was touring America for funds (May 1919 – Dec 1920). This Montana bond drive is the practical expression of that campaign in Butte / Anaconda. The rhetoric on the "dissolution of the British empire" is striking — explicit, public, and carried in the ordinary daily newspaper.

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Narrative

At a meeting in Judge Lynch's court room in Butte, the Irish bond drive committee organized the soliciting of Montana's $100,000 share of the $10,000,000 bond issue for the Irish republic, appointing districting and soliciting committees and setting the drive to open on Lincoln's birthday, Feb. 12, and close on St. Patrick's day. State Chairman James E. Murray explained that the bonds, in denominations from $10 to $10,000, would be non-negotiable and non-interest bearing until the Irish republic was established and recognized, chiefly by the United States. The Silver Bow county drive is to be directed by Chairman John J. Caplis, Treasurer J. J. Harrington and Secretary Mrs. Mamie Lenihan, with a committee of Barry O'Leary, John Gribben, Judge J. J. Lynch, James J. Murphy, W. J. Sewell, Catherine Harrington and Margaret O'Meara.

  • “The liberation of Ireland is as sure as the fact that we are sitting here; whether it happens today, tomorrow or years hence, it is sure to happen.”
  • “The wedge for the dissolution of the British empire is being driven. Ireland, the wedge, will welcome any agency that will expedite the dissolution.”
  • “Empires as great, as powerful and as potential as Great Britain have fallen.”

AI-generated (claude-opus-5). Verify against the transcription before quoting.

People

Also mentioned

  • Frank P. Walsh · national_commission_chairman

    Chairman of the American Commission on Irish Independence; sometime chair of the US National War Labor Board; future Versailles delegate.

  • Margaret O'Meara · committee_member

    Probably related to the O'Meara family on the 1916 FOIF signatories.

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news_item, public_meeting_report, list_of_officers

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Transcription
transcription: complete · confidence high
# IRISH ORGANIZE FOR BOND DRIVE ## Hundred Thousand to Be Sold in Montana of Ten Millions Offered *The Anaconda Standard, Saturday, January 24, 1920, p. 7.* Organization of the forces that will solicit subscriptions for the $100,000 allotted to Montana in the $10,000,000 bond drive for the Irish republic was effected at a meeting of the Irish bond drive committee, held last night in Judge Lynch's court room. Districting and soliciting committees were appointed, and preliminary arrangements completed for the opening of the intensive work on Feb. 12. Lincoln's birthday was selected because of its significance in American history, instead of Feb. 14, the date set by the American commission on Irish independence, of which Frank P. Walsh is chairman. St. Patrick's day was chosen as the date on which to end the drive and celebrate the event. ### Drive Plans Explained. State Chairman James E. Murray of the American commission explained the plan of the drive to the general committee. Bonds will be issued in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000. They will be non-negotiable and non-interest bearing until the Irish republic has been fully established and recognized by the nations of the world, principally the United States. Six months after the republic receives international recognition and the British forces have been withdrawn from the territory of Ireland, the bonds will begin to bear interest, providing they have been converted to gold bonds of the republic. The drive in Silver Bow county will be under the direction of Chairman John J. Caplis, Treasurer J. J. Harrington and Secretary Mrs. Mamie Lenihan, acting in conjunction with the committee appointed to devise means of raising the funds, districting the county, and appointing solicitors. The committee is as follows: Barry O'Leary, John Gribben, Judge J. J. Lynch, James J. Murphy, W. J. Sewell, Catherine Harrington and Margaret O'Meara. ### Liberation Is Certain. Judge Lynch, in a brief talk, said: "The liberation of Ireland is as sure as the fact that we are sitting here; whether it happens today, tomorrow or years hence, it is sure to happen. Empires as great, as powerful and as potential as Great Britain have fallen. These bonds will help bring the date of that fall nearer." Great enthusiasm was evoked by Major Deeney when he said: "The wedge for the dissolution of the British empire is being driven. Ireland, the wedge, will welcome any agency that will expedite the dissolution."

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