The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-23

VIII Not Irishmen Unite?
lit DO impossible TO bring about betimes
q complete reunion of the McCarthyite and
Parnellite factions. is it not possible to ar
range truce which shall at least prevent
ruinous division OF the Irish Nationalist
vote at the coming general election This
is question which the friends OF Ireland
should ponder in view Of certain ominous
facts which we now lay before them.
In spite OF the great gains made by the
Gladstonans in London. the Unionsts are
looking forward with confidence and even
elaton. to the contest for the control OF tho
next House OF Commons. There has been
In this respect an extraordinary change
during the last few months in the tone Of
their chief speakers and newspaper organs.
It is not long since their moro candid lead
ers admitted that q home rule bill for
Ireland would pass the Lower House Of the
next Parliament. and their sole hope was
that the House OF Lords would throw out
the measure and compel a second appeal to
the constituencies. To-day they deny the
likelihood OF home rule projects ever
reaching the Upper Chamber: for. although
they concede to the Gladstonians and Ma
tionaists united q majority OF the Lower
House. they believe that it will be too small
and too dlscordant to effect Mr.. GLAD
STONES purpose.
What is the cause Of this signal change OF
the view taken by the Unionists OF their
political prospects? There is only ono
cause: the rupture OF the Irish Nationalist
party and the persistent refusal Of the fac
tional leaders to subordinate their personal
ambitions to the welfare OF their country.
By this rupture the Unionists expect to
profit in two ways: First. by materially
lessening the number of Nationalist men,
bers for Ireland. and secondly. through the
difficulty OF adjusting any home rule bill to
the divergent opinions OF different sections
OF the Gladstonians. fortified as these will
be in their divergence by the conflicting
views OF tho Nationalist factions. II Ireland
is to obtain satisfactory home rule meas
ure. she must speak with one voice and
full voice. Thus only can sho impose her
will upon n party Of heterogeneous mate
rins which it has taken Mr.. GLADSTONE six
years to lift out OF weakness into strength.
Tho grounds on which tho Unionists be-
hevo that they can cut down the number Of
Eationalists in the next Parliament are
sufficiently obvious. They have unlimited
command OF money, and they make no
secret OF their intention to contest every
Irish constituency. We have pointed out
before. and we repeat. that this programme
will impose severe pecuniary sacrifices on
tho friends Of home rule. 1t will compel the
Nationalist candidate in every one Of the
eighty-fve Irish constituencies carried In
1886. to pay down the statutory costs before
his name can be placed upon q ballot. These
statutory costs. which do not by any means
represent all the permissible and necessary
expenses. range from 81. 800 in boroughs to
5000 In counties. The burden thus laid
upon Irish Nntonalists will be- OF course,
grievously increased II Nationalist candi-
dates compete against each other for con-
siderable number OF seats. TO the fritter-
ing OF the party's resources must be added
tho frittering OF Its voting strength. At
present u majority an OF tho seats allotted
to the province OF Ulster are occupied by
Nauonalists: Of those seventeen there are
some In which Unionist Is abso-
lutely certain OF election unless the
Nationalist vote Is to the last man united,
and there are many others In which no
would have bright prospect OF success II
the Nationalist vote were split with an ap-
proach to evenncss between two Homo
Rulers. There are several districts In
Leinster of which the same thing may DO
said. Thus far we have only indicated the
Mischievous consequences OF u disruption
Of the Nationalist forces. although each OF
the factions should In good faith repudiate
any combination with the Unionist enemy.
II Is certain. however. that the Unionists
all over Ireland will try to effect secret |
coalition with whichever OF the Nationalist |
factions happens to be the weaker In q par
ticular constituency. Success In such q |
man9uvre would be shameful. but the true |
way to avert the shame Is to arrange o |
truce between the Nationalist factions on |
the fundamental condition that in no single |
instance shall McCarthyite and Redmond |
ite candidates be pitted against each other. |
Certain seats may be freely conceded to Mr..
hEDAoND and his followers. while others
are reserved for Mr.. MCCARTHY and his
friends. 1t should DO easy for the fsotional
leaders TO arrive at such an agreement, I'M
less their patriotism Is sham.
1t Ia not merely. however. the shrinkage
OF the Irish Nationalist representation at
Westminster on which the Unionists are
reckoning. They desire TO keep alive and
to inaaps the existing discord In the Ma
honalisersnks. In the hope that the two Ma
tionalist factions may take opposed and