St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-31

Weekly Sun, and president of the Irish
National League of Great Britain, was
asked by the Associated Press to give
his views upon the Irish situation in
general, and particularly upon the att
tude of John Redmond, the Parnellite
leader, in announcing the intention of
giving his support and that of his fol-
lowers to the Conservatives, and To
GUST Mr.. Gladstone from power. should
it be found necessary i'll his opinion TO
do so. Mr.. O'Connor in reply writes as
follows:
10 the General Manager of the As
ISOLATED Press: Your request that ex-
press my views in regard TO the recent
pronOuncement of John Redmond comes
at moment when l scarcely feel COM
petent to make a statement. l have
just returned from tour of the dis
tricts in England where the great coal
war is raging, and the sights and scenes
of misery seen during the course of this
tour pursue me like the oppression of a
nightmare. and | find it difficult to turn
my thoughts and attention to very diff
ferent subject.
II regret very much the recent
peeches of John Redmond, and for rea-
sons not dictated by any hostility to any
section of the Nationalist following his
lead. My view as to the attitude the
Irish party should take up towards the
Parnellites has VIGOROUSLY been that by
patience. moderation and avoidance of
lnJunctions and offensive epithets we
should be free to prove to their mis-
guided Judgment apprehensIons they
have been taught to regard us with are
unfounded, and that they should i'll this
way be free, by the absence of incite-
ments to their passions and their recol-
lections of ParneI1. TO consider the at
titude of
THE IRISH PARTY
with something like dispassionate spirit.
II did not see that the fact that there
was party of Nationalist protesting
more extreme doctrines than we was
altogether unmiXed with evil. In short,
the attitude always thought sound ana
wise in regard TO the Parnellites was to
treat them as one of the factors working
for the National cause, and to utilize
them for that good object. Up to few
weeks ago it appeared to me that this
was also the view of their own leaders,
and | ain not sure that it is not the VIEW
Of the majority still. They still keep up
the appearance of being more extreme
than other Nationalist, and IN keeping
up the appearance undoubtedly had to
sail very near the wind and TO some
times subject the Irish cause to immi-
nent risk of shipwreck. For instance,
the attempt to retain the Irish members
in their full strength in the imperial
parliament after home rule was very
near landing US In terrible disaster, as
the retention Of over eighty MEN,
bers forms one of the most effective
10 FL ,,
campaign. If we had succeeded in
forcing on the government, as we might
perhaps have done, the retention of the
full number, regarded our success i'll
another election campaign as lmpOS-
sible.
This urging forward, too, of the de-
mand for amnesty for political prisoners
L regard not only as perllouS to the
cause of home rule, but even more de-
structive TO what little chance these I'M
fortunate men have of ever getting re-
leased. The idea that home rule involves
sympathy with dynamite methods (and
such an impression, though ill-f0unded,
would be spread if the Parnellite policy
was adopted) would of course mean the
defeat of home rule at the next election,
and the defeat of home rule would mean
the accession of Tory ministry, and
A TORY MINISTRY
would likewise involve the permanent
Imprisonment Of these men.
but for all these things | have been
willing to make a certain allowance. To
Dat it frankly, the Parnellites had to
keep their extreme followers on their
hands, and l am willing to allow them
considerable latitude in political tactics
in doing so. But, on the other hand,
the Parnellites as body, supported the
government of home rule loyalty
throughout last session. They made
mistakes. and they did wrong things;
all that | admit; but, considering their
difficulties, their record on the whole
was good.
''But what is the meaning of this lat
est cry? l have not had the opportun-
ity of seeing any OF my collea CUES for
many weeks; therefore l am without
knowledge of the inside history of this
latest move of Redmond. | must say,
however, that his policy seems mere in
sanity. The fundamental point TO be
remembered about home rule is that it
has finally to pass into law by ma
jority of British as we'll as Irish votes.
Unless we get majority of British con-
Stituencies, as well as Irish con-
stituencies, it will be impossi-
BILE that we should ever force
measures through the opposition of the
lords. What then every practical Irish
politician has to consider is what are
the methods and measures with which
to get a majority of British votes for
the Liberals at next election. Every
vote then given for the Liberal party
will be gwen for home rule, and every
vote taken from the Liberals will be
taken from home rule.
''Now what is to get British votes for
the Liberal party? Redmond must be
strangely ignorant of electioneering
history if he does not know that one
means by which we can get
LIBERAL VOTES
is too pass Liberal legislation, and if
anybody has any doubts upon it he has
only to study the tactics of the Tories
and Unlonists' obstinate obstruction.
construction to the home rule bill is
dictated as much by the desire not
the resolution to limit this parliamentary
session to home rule; for strong card
with the Unionists and Tories has been
that the home rule measure would
destroy all power of the Liberal min
istry to carry any British legislation,
aud to that the British working
men could therefore be called
upon to resist the return of the
Liberal ministry on the distinct ground
that by so dong they would destroy all
their chances of getting their own sore
needs attended to. sThat is the reason
that the Unionists so strenuously re-
sisted the autumn sittIngs, which be-
gin next Thursday. In short there is
no political party not agreed in the
opinion that If the ministry has to go to
the country without British legislation,
its chance of getting majority is de-
strOyed.
"What, then, is Redmond asking for?
Why is it that the Liberal government
should do the very thing the Liberals
and Tories alike believe would lead TO
its destructive defeat? He asks that
Irish questions Da dealt with (for that
is what the demand comes to-; he asks
for dissolution next year. In other
works, he asks the Liberal ministry to
go to the country without these British
measures, which form their one chance