The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1890-12-17
PARNELL's CAUSE WANING.
The Feeling Against the Ex-Leader
Much Stronger.

DUBLIN, Dec. 1G.-Dublin, in contrast
with Wednesday nights meeting with re-
gard to the great leadership question, is
now so calm that IL is difficult to believe
that the city was recently the scene of
such transcendent Parnellite enthusiasm
as was described by the press on the oc-
casion OF Parnelrs reception, says the New
York Times to-day.
Save in the committee rooms of either
party and in the Offices of the Freeman
and other newspapers, the struggle excites
ut present little interest. Indeed, con-
siderable misapprehension has been
created by the exaggerated reports of the
ex-leader's reception in Dublin OF course,
Parnell was acclaimed vociferously by a
mob, but it was not mainly voting mob,
nor even so formidable in numbers as we
were given to understand. Moreover, the
respectable element of the population was
wanting.
When Parnell last visited Dublin, five
years ago, he was met by huge process
sion of trades, bearing enormous banners,
and also by u large procession of priests.
Both these elements of voting power were
conspicuously absent last week. As a
prominent Dublin citizen said to me last
night, "Parnell can always get mob
when it is not engaged elsewhere
AT this moment the Dublin mob Gle
ment is engaged elsewhere, in Kilkenny,
where ParnclPs committee has imported
100 Dublin larikins for purposes of AMIGA
BILE advocacy.
Each day, however the feeling of the
populace in favor of Parnell is modifying.
Wherever he goes there are cheers for the
man from those who as yet ignore what
has altered the mans position, but that is
the extent of the feeling for him, and
each day diminishes its strength.
Parnells cause is waning with the fight
ing strength of its leader, which is now
almost at its lowest ebb. Parnell will
break down physically, if nothing more,
before many days have passed.
The last few days, during which he has
encountered u hostility to which he is
altogether unaccustomed, have thoroughly
sapped the strength, born merely of pas
sion and audacity, with which he entered
on this painful contest. Against him,
through the neighborhood, are arrayed
forces with which he never thought to
have to compete. The priests are solidly
opposed to him, and it is almost needless
to emphasize the power welded by the
hierarchy throughout the whole of the
district covered by the present campaign.
Out of over two hundred priests there is
but one who has declared in favor of
Parnell and who, from personal friend
ship, is stanchly fighting FOR him.
Parnell owes all his present success to
his surprising and abnormal terrifying
energy, coupled with the fact that the
Irish party have no newspaper organ
through whose columns to reason with
people who eagerly devour political news.
The suppression of United ireland had a
great temporary influence on popular SEN
timent in the rural districts; but now that
the momentary effect of Parnell' audacity
in suppressing O'Brien's organ has sub
sided, the public mind of ParnelPs con-
stituency is rapidly bearing round again
to the real issues at stake.
1t is hardly too much to prophesy that
the result of the election will entail the
collapse of the present Improbable cam
paign, If the majority is successful, and
the odds are greatly in their favor. Par
nell will disappear from the scene, broken,
exhausted, incapacitated for further effort,
and having succeeded only in wrecking,
by wanton egotism, the work Of sixteen
years of noble political struggle.