The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-03-23


equipment. be it in brains or muscle
which they were free to employ other.
wise than for our use and benefit.
"Now, that being 50, what about on,
Legislators? What about payment Of the
men who keep almost ceaseless vigil over
our interests in the House Of .Commonsi
"In the ordinary course Of things in
life, when we inoulpably fail, or frandu.
lently refuse, to pay such debts as VIC
may have knowingly contracted, we ere
liable to be brought into public. and, il
default Of satisfactory explanations, to be
declared ban rupts; and, surely is Va
'repudiate our liabilities to those whom
we have deliberately chosen to represent
US at West tminis ter, and who, while doing
so, during fully eight months Of the year,
must incur considerable expense, and
submit, on our account, to much and
manifold discomforts, we may, it is true
escape the various pains and penalties
usually attaching to insolvency in com
mercial circles, but I doubt il we should
not be reputed bankrupts, all the same
by all rightminded men, in the great
social virtues Of truth and honor.
Nor can we free ourselves from re-
sponsibilty ia this matter by pointing,
ss many now unfortunately do, to the
melancholy fact, that our Irish repre-
sentatives are at present, and, for some
time past, have been, at skies and sevena
amongst themselves, broken up into rival
[cliquee, fighting literally for straws, as
young and unruly schoolboys are said to
do, seeking self Qualification, apparently,
rather than the public good, and direct
ing against each other those splendid en-
ergies which might be so. proftably de-
voted to the service Of their country.
"Such is the reproachful and uncom.
plimentary language which is now in
almost everybody's mouth, and, ! fear.
not wholly without cause. It is very
plain speaking, to be sure; but the time
for plain speaking has arrived. Let ua
look the situation fairly and dispassi-
Eonately in the face. Four years ago we
were 8 united people. Today our once
serried ranks are broken, and the sturdy
materials that composed them are scatter.
ed to the wind. Our enthusiasm has
cooled down Or died away; our bishops,
for the most part, hold aloof from the
National cause; our priests are distrnst.
|fnl and dissatisfied; our everfaithfnl
people know not whose counsel they are
to follow, whose mandate they should
obey; the friendly Government that led
ms on to the very confines Of Home Rule
BIZ to be discredited and deposed because
|it cannot: aehievs impossib bilities; The
|heredi ditary revilers Of onr relie ieion and
race are, as soon as possible, 70 be install.
lea ii their stead; 40 great national
victory can Be gained, no eminentl nee
|ful measure passed into law; the hope q
obtaining . legislature for our country
within measurable time IS no longer
entertained 81 reasoning mon; md all
this Has come to pr partl because The
spirit 81 faction app pears to be more pot.
|ent than the spirit q pstrio otisna, md u
||pat ||part also, because vtlhat one oct of Irish
poitiico coiians pro- oaes Tor the common rsall
veal will, almost u surety, Be- daaled,
denounced and scrroE Efully reiected n
another
h 4 truly = abls atats q things
rs, ,thers - out / q. IS 81 IN noll
IN sh - mi 4 lliiOtiiiI
/ !. ~ . IT conn q
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