Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-10-17
WALSH TO BLAKE.
The Irish Archbishop Makes e
Plea for Unity.
WANTS ERIN TO FLAP TOGETHER


mand Peace Among the Factions-Reply
Of Member of Parliament Blake-He
Thinks Much May lie Done for Homo
Rule During Tory Rule.
TORONTO, Ont, Oct. Il. - Archbishop
Walsh. who has recently returned from
Ireland, has addressed to Edward Blake,
member Of parliament for South Tyrone,
a letter on the question of Irish home rule.
After expressing regret that the state oil
Blake's health prevented him accepting
reception from the citizens OF Toronto he
asks: How is the success of the Irish
cause to be obtained: How are the Irish
national forces to be focused into great
center of strength and power: 1t seems
to me that to the solution OF this problem
Irish patriotism and Irish craftsmanship
should now devote themselves. Surely
Ireland must still have the power and vi
tally to shake off from her the fatal dis
scnsions that have of late preyed upon her
and threat ned the extinction OF her ma.
tional life; surely she must not allow her
self, like derelict ship at sea, to drift
about aim,essly ard hopelrssly. prey to
INT WAVES anu vi P'Sai'i-S
and internecine fcuds.'
National Convention ia Dublin.
He continues: MY suggestion is this:
Let great national convention be held
in Dublin, composed Of chosen representa-
tives of the clergy and people of Ireland
and Of an advisory representation Of the
Irish race abroad. IL the convention let
l. h.,
voice he like broken musical instrument
emitting discorlant notes and jarring
sounds, but let it, on the contrary, be clear,
loud and emphatic, insisting on unity and
condemning faction. Let her point out
and uphold the parliamentary representa-
tives whose methods and conduct she ap-
proves, and let her mark out and con-
denim those whose intolerance of control
and personal jealousies and animositics
have done SD much to break unity and
waste the strength of the national party"
Had Time for Discussions.
To this letter Of the archbishop Blake re-
plies by deploring the want of unity in
the Irish party, IEore especially Mt time
when they are facing n government
(which denies the right and the capacity
of Irishmen tn direct their own affairs. and
the safety to the empire of home rule for
Ireland, and which declares for the policy
of perpetual legislation and administra-
ton of Irish affairs from Westminster. 1t
seems to me our duty not only to main
tain and strengthen the position of Irish
home rule. but also to insist that those in
power shall attempt to discharge the re-
sponsibilities such a policy involves
Foremost Place for the Land Question.
Those responsibilities are enormous.
The Irish land question, with its nuner-
Gus qualifications, retains. even by the
acknowledgment of the adversary, the
foremost place in the legislative pro
grammc. Bat Irish rural govern
ment, Irish municipal franchises,
Irish fiscal and financial relations,
and other important questions should also
be pressed to the trent. And there is thus
open tn the Irish party, even in this over
whelmingly Tory ard anti-home rulC
parliament, an active, useful and honor
able career. Wemay in the next five
years do much good for Ireland and We
| doing it, materially advance the prospects
| of that home rule which must ever remain
| our first and main object.
Inspired by Justin Mccarthy.
"But to do any good at all. either IN
| these or other matters, or for the greai
cause of home rule itself, it is more than
ever necessary that we should act togeth
er. We are too few to quarrel The sig
nificance of Archbishop Walsh's letter
arises from the belief that it was directly
inspired if not written by Justin McCar
thy. p.