Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-16


MINISTRY To BE LooKT.D FOR AT ANY TINE
NOW.
The events Of the last three weeks in En-
gland have, in my belief, made home rule for
Ireland a question Of a very short time" Mr..
Patrick Egan said to a STAR reporter last night
The noted Irishman spoke with a quiet conf
dence indicating that he had canvassed the
situation in his own mind and had arrived at a
most satisfactory conclusion as TO the develop
ments to be expected from the existing state of
affairs in Anglo-Irish politics. THE collapse of
the Times case against Parnell has stunned the
tory and liberal-unionist leaders" Mr.. Egan
continued, while it has brought TO rarnell
sympathy from sources heretofore bitterly hos
tile TO hum. To me the outlook of the Irish
cause was never before as bright as il il to-day
think our long battle is almost won. Ii does
not seem possible that ANYTHING can much
longer prevent Ireland from obtaining a meas
ure of home rule that will be satisfactory. The
great meeting in London on "Wednesday night.
at which John Morley presided. was entirely an
English demonstration of sympathy with Par
nell. and shows how wonderful change in
English feeling toward Ireland has taken place
IN the last few years"
TORY STUPIDITY
DO you think, Mr.. Egan." the reporter
asked, there is any chance. as John Morley
In his speech intimated there might be. that
the tories will offer Ireland measure of home
ruie!"
The tories are too stupid to do ANYTHING of
the KIND Mr.. Egan answered. Tory stupid
ity. you know. is proverbial and never was
there so astonishing a demonstration of it 5 in
the Times case against Parnell. No, have no
hope the tories will discover that the support
OF the country has slipped away from them
untii IL Is too late and they are thrown out of
Office
Then you expect the Salisbury government
to be defeated soon and the liberals TO return
to powerI"
TORY DEFEAT MAY OCCUR AT ANY MOMENT.
Il believe the defeat of the government in
parliament may be expected almost any day
now. 1t is impossible TO foreshadow the exact
course OF events or TO say on what question
salisbury will go down. 1t is the une Apected
that always happens in politics, and especially
IN British politics. and the tories some day will
suddenly lind themselves without majority
on some apparently unimportant ques-
ton, as they did in 1885 The tories
and liberal unionists can hold together on a
broad general principle like coercion in Ire
land IN order TO hang on to the offices. But when
questions involving vital local interests arise
members OF parliament will find themselves
forced to vote as their constituents desire. and
the coalition will fall to pieces. The only real
point OF sympathy between the liberal union
lists and the tories is their common hatred of
Ireland. and alliances founded on hatred have
always proved shOrt-iiyed. There are a hun
dred questions on which they do not and cdn-
not agree. and if any of these questions are
forced into prominence. down will 20 the gov
ernment at once"
The conversation naturally drfted around to
the Important part Mr. Egan played in expos
ing how PigOtt made the forgeries which the
London Times bought and published, and Mr.
Egau said.
THE FORGED LETTERS AND THE COERCION ACT
"A fact which should not be lost sight of in
canvassing the present situation, and which
has had much to do in bringing about the re-
action in favor of Parneu and the home-rule
movement is this: The very letters which have
been shown to be infamous forgeries were
bought two wears ago by the London Times in
order to aid iii and Justify the passage of the
present coercion law in Ireland. The publica-
ton of these letters in the 'Parnellism and
Crime articles largely Influenced public opin-
ion so that the adoption of the coercion act
was rendered possible. This act is a most des-
potic measure. and places Ireland practically
under martial law. When these facts are fully
understood by the British public the reaction
in favor of the Irish can hardly fail to be de-
cisive."
do you believe it possible that Pigott could
have SO completely duped the Times people if
they had not been willing to be duped!" the
reporter asked.
EARLY EXPERIENCES WITH PIGoTr.
THE Times people in my opinion. didn't
care by what means they did il If they could
only succeed III dscrediting Parnell. They
must have known the Infamous character of
Plgott As far back as 1881 1 exposed Pigott's
attempt 10 blackmail me. and TO effort money
from Chief Secretary Forster and the govern
ment at the same time. Long before that
knew Pigott TO be a forger and embezZler He
was the worst man ever knew. and if the British
government had had sense enough in 1881 To
give him the money he asked to keep his
papers. The HishB'da and the FIdg of I,tFd,,d
going. | think. he would have utterly DESTROYED
the Farnell movement. His position. ar editor
OF those two papers. gave him a considerable
influence with Irish people who were not close
enough to him to know what a scoundrel he
was Ii also opened to him valuable sources
OF information as to the Irish movements so
that he was a most dangerous man to rs and
could have been of incalculable service TO the
government if they had had the shrewdness TO
perceive II. L saw the danger to our cause
and strongly urged Parnell to buy Pigott's
papers for the league. This was done,
and then We turned Pigott ont bag
and baggage. not permitting him TO re-
tain any sort of connection with the
papers. He evidently had not counted on
this and it made him very angry. To revenge
himself he published series of articles in
English papers bitterly attacking me and the
league. Then it was that 1 exposed his at
tempts at blackmail, and the exposure attracted
SO much attention that it must have seriously
injured Pigott's trade for some time.
'Pigott was a man of more ability than many
people gave him credit for. As soon as read
the forged letters in the Times made up NV
mind that Pigott was the culprit. He was the
author of the series Of articles of 'Parnellism
and Crime believe, though this is not gen.
orally thought to be so even by Parnellites. L
haven't a doubt of it myself, however He was
the only man who could have written those
articles. He was a great scissors man. and
had for years kept clippings relating to all
events III Ireland.
THE MEN WHO URGED THE "TIMEs' on
''The Times people, believe, would never
have published these articles nor the letters il
they had not been strongly urged to do SO by men
of great influence. These men were Chamber
lain Home Secretary Matthews. and Balfour.
Chamberlain hates Gladstone bitterly. as he
believes he would have long ago been at the
head of the liberals il the Grand Old Man were
out of the way. Chamberlain, therefore was
anxious to destroy Gladstone's influence by
showing that he had connected himself with
men who approved of criminal acts in order to
to gain their ends"
lis there any considerable section of the
Irish party which still desires the total separa-
tion of Ireland from England?" inquired The
STAR reporter.
There are many 1rishmen. of course. nv
self included. who believe that as a matter of
abstract right and justice, Ireland should be
free. But this is impracticable, and as we live
In an age OF practical politics We are willing to
accept a reasonable measure of freedom and
remain member of the British empire"