Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-29
IRELAND AND HOME RULE.
James Redpath Tersely Tells of His
Visit to the Green Isle.
HARMONY ANo UNITY PREVAIL,
The People Less Enthusiastic but
Stronger and More Determined
Victory In sight-Cheers Are
Useies but Dollars Count.
An Interesting interview.

remember with pleasure and gratitude the
splendid service of MIR. James Redpath in ex-
posing Irish landlordism five years ago and
familiarizing the American people with the
evils which underlie English rule in Ireland
He has just returned from another tour OF
that country, and gives the results of his in
vestigations in the following interview with
a New York Press reporter:
"Have you any objection to being inter
viewedl"
James Redpath-Well, as l have been
doing little else than "interviewing" for the
last two months, and never was refused 1t
would be rather ungracious for me to de-
cline n similar invitation. ] suppose a
dentist ought to submit once IN while TO
having his own teeth pulled. Go ahead.
Reporter-Well, while you reported what
the Irish leaders thought or said, you have
never given your own opinions, excepting
by way of inference or Endorsement want
to ask you precisely the same question that
you asked John Dillon.
AN ANECDoTE AND ITS APPLICATION.
James Redpath-The reason withheld my
own views was that l was every day re-
minded Of an anecdote told about the Duke of
Wellington. Some one related an improba-
BILE story in his presence, and he remarked:
"Well, if you saw it, that ends discussion:
we must believe 1t; but | am bound to say
that if i had seen 1T would not have be-
lieved it." If any of my Irish friends, jus
returned from an Irish tour, had reported to
me, before left New York. the actual facts
about Ireland as found them, would not
have believed them. l should have thought
that his sympathy with Parnelrs policy had
caused him to exaggerate. So, in order that
the Irish in America might truly understand
the changed conditions, and fall into line
once more with the "men in the gapn pre-
ferred to call unimpe achable native wit
nesses-men foremost III the fight and known
by all to be in Parnell's confidence and coun-
cils-before gave my own impressions or
opinions.
Befor I had interviewed all the men
whom 1 had selected for that purpose, the
space / had contracted for was exhausted,
and uid not know whether the Press would
care for more, But 1 will give you all the
matter you want-from a stickful to a hun
dred Columns-and be glad of such chance
to help rally the stragglers from the Irish
movement over her and urge them to take
a hand in the last rouud-to be "in at the
death" of tory tyranny in Ireland. Go on.
Reporter-How is Old Ireland and how
does she standi Are the people as upited as
they were on your previous visit III 1880, in
the early days of the land league.
James Redpath-The Irish to-day are less
enthusiastic, perhaps-less sunbursty-than
they were in 1880; but they are as deter
mined as then and vastly more hopeful. If
you are old enough to remember the feeling
of the north for few weeks after Fort
Sumter was fired on---the boyish enthusiasm
for 'the flag" the frothy denunciatlon of
1.-THE SOUTH" the braggard boastings of put
ting down the rebellion in from thirty to
ninety days, that 1--WE uns'' all indulged in,
then YOU will have parallel, on bigger
SCALE of the national sentiment and senti
mentality of Ireland in 1850. To-day the
situations corresponds more to the state of
feeling in the north alter Sherman tele-
graphed to Lincoln that he sent home as
Christmas present the cities of Augusta and
Savannah" We had got RID of our patriotic
foolisnness, but were more dangerous foe
than ever, because although we had learned
to respect the warliie SOUTH we yet saw that
the beginning of the end of tho war had
come; that however stubbOrnly the confed-
crates might still contest the battle, our tri-
umph was absolutely sure and within sight.
POPULAR IRISH AND ENGLISH POLITICIANS.
Now the Irish, to-day, of all shades of
nationalist opinion, firmly believe that Eng
land will yield home rule within three or
four years at the furthest Therefore-as
the long prayed for boon is so near at hand,
and as they can only get it so soon with the
aid of the English llberals-the old hatred of
all England and of everything English has
disappeared, and the traditional detestation
of 1.-The Saxon' is now confined to the tories
and the liberal unionists Next TO Parnell,
no man living is more hOnored and trusted
in Ireland than Gladstone. Next TO him. the
most popular English politician is Earl
Spencer who, as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
only Il few years ago, imprisoned and hanged
more Irish patriots than any one of his prede-
cessors for generations had ever thus pun
isned during similar period.
Gladstone, in his time, imprisoned during
a single year, over twelve hundred IRISH
patriots, among them Parnell and John Dill
lon, not one of whom had committed any act
which would have been criminal otfense, if
il had been done in England. Even BUCK
shotn Forster, who was detested in 1885, is
spoken of rather kindly to-day. So is IRE
velyan, who was hated when he was in
power, only a short time since
AS compared with Balfour, "Buckshot"
Forster is now regarded having been
rather IL decent ruler. The reason of the
change of opinion regarding these men is
that they have changed their policy and are,
to-day, or were recently, the advocates of
home rule. They admitted that they had
done their best, or their worst, to suppress
Irish aspirations for self government by
force, but they declared that it was impossi-
be and therefore they recommended home
rule. Like the schoolmaster in the comedy
who ordered his unruly pupils o''sit down."
and when they refused, said: "Stand up
then; I'm bound to be obeyed." The Eng
lsh liberals are still in favor OF order in Ire
land
So much for the spirit of national unity
Ireland Is united, hopeful and determined.
ESGLASD'S DESPOTIC RULE ~ IRELAND.
AS for the government, it is more cruel
and despotic than II was even under Forster.
The present coercion bill practically abol-
ishes all civil law and establishes martial
law, without the protection that he DrNics-
sional pride and self respect of the military
throw over the legitimate enforcement of
the martial law,
Whoever the chief secretary wants TO
throw into Jail is mprisJned--with evidence
or without.
Trial by jury is abolished and the :uachin.
cry of the law is administered by corrupt
and "ofeusve partisaDs.
Over four thousand persons have been thus
imprisoned since the present coercion law
went into effect
More than half of Ireland is proclaimed
ehat is, the right of free press and of free
speech is denied IN one-half OF ireland,
Over one-third of the Irish members OF
parliament have been Imprisoned Not one
of them did any act that would be Illegal in
England to-day.
Men have been arrested and condemned TO
months OF Imprisonment with hard labor for
peacefully attending peaceful meetings; for |
publishing, without note or comment, the |
most matterof-fact ana commonplace re
ports OF peaceful meatngs.
RepOrter-What excuse is given for such /
imprisOnmentsi
James Rcdpath-rhat these were reports I
of branches of national leagues that had |
been ''prDclaimedn as 'suppresScd,h ~ ana that 4