The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-09
PARNELL

PARNELI.
Among the many changes that the
whirligig OF time brings to mortals
surely none was ever stranger than the
surroundings of the death bed OF Charles
Stewart Parnell. Only six short years
age he reigned supreme in the hearts of
all his countrymen as their %uncrowned
king. He was wreathed with the laurels
OF successful constitutional agitation in
the British house of commons. In the
general election OF the year he had prac-
tically swept the Irish constituencies
for his nominees. With e~ighty-fve de-
voted followers at his beck and call, he
held the whip-hand Of both the tradi-
tional parties OF Great Britain and the
balance Of party power lay in his hand.
Gladstone himself-whether actuaated
by sincere admiration or party interest,
is of little importance--had become his
practical supporter. The star OF the
Irish leader was at its zenith in the po-
litical heaven, and the hearts of the
sons of Erin we're throbbing with an
tic,pation Of the mighty changes that
seemed impending in the immediate fu-
ture, Three days ago he died, died, a
discredited leader of a minority Of the
people who had once been proud to
claim him for their own, pursued even
to the grave by the anathemas of the
church of his countrymen. Into the
events that led to this wonderful trans
formation scene it is not necessary to
enter. They are too we'll known, too
unsavory to require repetition IN these
columns. Not even the grave, we be-
lieve, will entirely still the controversy
whether or not social derelictions should
necessitate political o%utlawry. One
thing may be hoped. Parnel's death
should restore among the Irish ranks
the feeling of devotion and union that
his sin destroyed. The men who would
show their devotion to a dead leader by
the maintenance of an alienation, whose
causes died with the dead, are sacrifice
ing the truest and best interests of
their country to a qulxotic sense of
high-fown sentiment. Let the dead
bury it's dead.
Against any profound and thorough
grasp of the dead mans leader
ship, the absence of historical per-
spective is sure to weigh for the time.
We ourselves of this generation have
been too near the man, too intimately
concerned in the clashing interests and
fervid struggles that made the most of
his political life to form a calm and i'm
partial judgment Of his career. But in
whatever niche in the temple OF political
fame our posterity may see fit to place
the Irish leader, they will not fail to
note the personality Of the man.
1t was a strong, firm, resolute person
atty. 1t was a personality that gave
to Ireland the largest measure OF re-
cent political success she has at
tanned. Tt was a personality that
claimed as its right a single and unop-
posed leadership, and therein lay the
secret of much of what Parnell accom-
plished. 1t is pitiful but true that too
many Of Ireland's patriotic efforts have
been laid in ruins by the treachery of
her own sons United counsels and united
plans have over and over again been
marred by the presence Of the one too
many. Under Parnells one-man leader
ship, the possibility of betrayal was rem
dered out of the question, and Ireland
no longer had cause to blush for degen-
crate sons. A critic takes exception to
the late leaders GOODNESS, his frigidity,
his non-excitability. Amidst the storm
lest scenes Of tho stormiest settings of
the house of commons, Parnell would sit
as the genius of imperturhable destiny,
and the behavior was everywhere char
teristic OF the man. In our mind it
would seem that this attitude of mind
Of his was a potent factor in Irish sue
cess. The Celtic mind is prone to be
hot and hasty- 1t has not the audacity
OF the politician nor the plotting careful
ness of the professional agitator. 1t sees
before it the object of it's desires, and
careless OF means or possibilities it
makes a dash for it's attainment. The
frame of mind is one that IN wal has
produced some of the most heroic feats
of arms, but n that in politics is very
easily foiled. The mistake of acting first
and %repenting afterwards was one that
Parnell was, seldom, if ever, guilty of
making from a political standpoint. 1t
will be we'll for Ireland and her hopes if
the next leader of the Irish people will
- Jirn with +la national e~{l,n...
and fire of his people some of the
patient, waiting, calculating power Of
Charles Stewart Parnell.
MISS WIIIAR AGAINST TT