The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-19


Ought she. so generous of other peoples
money, sha who wishes to broaden the in
teligence and enlarge the mental horizon
Of the Fifty-sccond Congress. to neglect to
mako special and adequate provision for
saving, IL possible. the health or at least
the life of every one OF the pilgrims from
tho marble halls Is it too late to do some-
thing for these unthinking statesmen who
are about to take their lives in their hands !?
Shall lreland's Opportunity BE Lost?
1.-THE friends of Ireland in this community
desire the triumph of home rule. they should
awaken with start to tho necessity Of i'm
mediately helping the Irish Nationalist to
face new general election. II anything
was needed to convince them that no time
is to be lost. tho decisive proof was fur
nishcd in tho reception of Mr.. Sections
proposed amendment to the address. de-
claring that the present Parliament has
shown itself unequal to tho task Of legis-
latng for Ireland. Although 3)7 members
were present in the House OF Commons. the
amendment was beaten by majority OF
only 81. This means that tho Unionists arc
demoraliZed: that the leaders can no longer
control their followers: that the rank and
file arc sick OF suspense and uncertainty,
and are feverishly anxious to precipitate an
appeal to the country. lest il thoy wait
longer they fare worse. Such signs Of dis
enlargement. apathy. and disintegration
portend a sudden collapse. and the impress
sion seems general in London that disso-
luton of Parliament will take place in the
course OF q few weeks. The general cleo
ton will follow at the earliest possible date
reconcilablo with the statutes and proce-
dents. for tho Unionists have abundant
pocuniary resources. whereas tho Glad
stonians are known to be weak in this par
ticular. and the Nationalist will be quite
unable without assistance from this coun-
try to defray the expenses incident to q
general election.
These are facts. and American citizens
who applaud Mr.. GLADsToNEs programme
should shut their eyes to them no longer.
If they defer active measures until a disso-
luton has been actually proclaimed. they
will find it too late to render effective sue
cor. Less than four weeks elapsed between
Mr.. GLADsToNE's dissolution OF Parliament
in June. 1886. and the succeeding general
election. and we may be certain that Lord
SALISBURY will not allow his opponents
minute more than he can help. We could
not have forwarded in June, 1885, to the
supporters OF homo rule In Ireland the
funds which were Indispensable. had not
large amount Of money been collected be-
forehand in this country. Many Americans
seem unaware OF tho legal conditions OF
Parliamentary elections in the United King
dom. They seem not to understand that
no man can DO recognized US candidate for
the House OF Commons. and voted for at
the ballot box. until he has deposited with
the proper officer the statutory costs in the
form Of cash or instantly negotiable securi-
ties. Now. the costs thus payable in adj
vance are large; We understate them when
we say that they amount on An average to
$500 for q borough seat and $1,000 for a
county seat. At present the Nationalist
occupy eighty-fve Irish seats. This means
that in 1886. before their names could be
placed on the list OF nominees, they had to
pay by way OF statutory expenses a sum
amounting In the aggregate to some 100000.
Only small fraction Of the money needed
for this large preliminary expenditure was
contributed in Ireland itself. Some OF it
came from South Africa. some from Austria
lin: but by far the greatest part Of 1t came
from the United States. OF the subscrip.
tions made In this country the citizens OF
New York and its vicinity must be credited
with handsome share. Money flowed from
this city to Ireland through many channels.
but We may mention that nearly $4,000
was collected through ono medium alone.
the Irish Parliamentary Fund organized by
Messrs. EUGENE KELLY. JOSEPH j. O'DoNO-
HUE, and other stalwart American sup
portcrs of the home rule principle. 1t was
possible in 1856 to forward such timely and
generous assistance, because at that time
the machinery for providing it was already
in operation. During the six years that
have since elapsed that machinery has been
out of use. and its very existence seems TO
have been forgotten In some quarters. but
with u little concerted effort it might easily
be restored to all it's old efficiency. The
principal promoters OF that fund are still
alive and full OF vigor. and they are every
bit as jealous friends OF Ireland now as
they were then.
But 1t may be asked. what guarantee
have we that our subscriptions given for |
the homo rule cause would not be wasted in
quarrels between the two Nation |
alist factions? No cordial friend OF Ire |
land need entertain misgivin2s on that
score. Nothing would DO easier than to
take effectual precautions against such a
deporabe misuse OF funds intended for the |
collective welfare and advancement of the |
Irish people. Those Americans who believe !
that the large majority Of tho Irish mem
bers Of Parliament. headed Ivy Mr.. JUSTIN
MCCARTHY, are the true representatives Of