Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-22
M"IcHtEEDlYI1T INTERVIEWED.
His Opinion Of the Irish Situation
Wasklngton Notes-Work Of
Indian Commission.
DAv11r INTERVIEWED.
He Thinks ireland VIII Wiz in Her Con
ing strugxle With England.

80 A1OA0AW Wan u 1303 SVAAA~
inx Struggle With England.
CHICAGO. December 19.-Michasl Davitt,
the Irish patriot, passed through this city
yesterday morning e N route from Quebec
to the far west on business of a personal
and particularly happy nature. Mr.. Davitt
was asked concerning the significance of
the recent arrest by the government of
John Dillon, member OF Parliament for
East Mayo, William O'Brien, editor of the
United Ireland, and other Irish leaders
acting as trustees in conducting the "Plan
of Campaign" Mr.. Davitt said: II am
not at all alarmed at the situation. The
government is making itself ridiculous. II
this plan of Campaign is really illegal
the government should have
STRUCK A BLOW LONG AGO.
The fact that it has allowed Dillon, O'Brien
and Others to carry it on for months show
it's hesitaney to declare it illegal. The
ridiculous because the United Ireland and
those engaged in this movement are acting
in open daylight. This shows the absur.
dity of the charge of conspiracy. II tenant
farmers show a desire to give their rent OF
a portion of it into the hands of public
men, and do it without compuIsion.
THE HARGE oF FRAUD
against Dillon and O'Brien because they
have received such money is simply ridicu-
lous. Suppose they bring Dillon and
O'Brien to trial before a jury ON such a
charge: No jury in Ireland will convict
them"
"What is the real meaning of the move
on the part OF the government"
Il think the action of the government in
making the arrest and bringing the men to
trial is just like the course pursued by
Gladstone's government in 1881, prepara-
tory to the measures OF coercion. Glad
stones law off cers at that time instituted
state trials of parnell and the executives
Of the land league, not with the hope of OBJ
tanning a conviction, but to show the
English public the opinion that ordinary
law was Intellectual and to cope with the
state of things in Ireland and that there
fore exceptional legielation was required. I
have no doubt that this is the line of ar.
gument that will be adopted by Hicks
Beach and Churchill when in the early days
of the coming session of parlia ment they
apply for exceptional power to deal with
the national league in Ireland"
'"What will be the effect of such an ap-
plication for exceptional power?"
Ills uQ6duB CUdU VIC dIV Ou GlIO 0VOOA oil.
other and probably the last and most dee.
perate fight with coercion. Both the
league and Ireland are quite prepared for
the struggle, which will be the ifty-ffth of
the kind waged between Ireland and Eng
land during eighty-six years. This means
that fifty-four similar measures proved SO
many failures, and, in sporting language,
betting is IS to 1 that Ireland wins the
coming contest. I expect to be home in
Ireland in a few weeks, before all the pris-
ons are filled. I look also for Parnells
speedy appearance upon the field OF action,
and I am confident that in q few months
the bellicose Tory party will have had
quite enough Of coercion in Ireland. l
firmly believe that the English elch popu-
lar feeling will be with the Irish in this
struggle and against the course of action OF
the Tories"
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.
The proprietors of the United Ireland
have had their books, papers, ETC., re-
removed to q place of safety in view OF the
possible seizure Of the paper by the govern
ment. If suppressed the publication will
be continued just as when the Land League
was suppressed. Commoner Tanner, speak
ing at Coachford. Cork, to-day, ~propheeied
the downfall of the government within
three months. Commoner Hooper de-
clared that the tenants were capable OF
effecting an honest combination with or
without the "Plan of Campaign" There
were several priests at the meeting.