The Irish standard., 1897-09-04


| political influence. The Times, as might
| be expected. embarked upon vigorous
attempt to exploit the occasion in the
interests of the Unionist and coercion
policy of Ireland. 1t was to he heralded
| as successful attack by royalty on
home rule. The welcome to the duke
| was interpreted beforehand in the Times
| as conclusive proof of the decadence of
| national sentiment in Ireland But it
| changed its tone in submission to higher
| orders. The same game was played in
| the same paper on the occasion of the
| Prince Of Wales last visit to this coun-
try. He was championed by the London
press generally. and especially by the
Times. as the triumphant rival of Mr..
| Parnell. with the result that his visit
| ended in a lamentable f1asco. For the
| first time. as he himself subsequently
proclaimed, through all his multitudin-
GUS visits to every corner of that vast
| empire over which he one day is to rule,
| the heir apparent was Kissed on street
and platform whenever he appeared. His
| son was Kissed on Wednesday as he
passed the old Parliament house in Col
lege green, and the booing from the
crowd. If less extensive in quantity, was
| equal to the quality Of the half-hcarted
| cheers that were given out by the sisters
| and cousins and aunts of the loyal
minority" The Irish people do not want
sops. The advent OF the queens grand
son may be regarded as a great social
| and political event by those who advised
1t. 1t is looked upon with Indifference
by the Irish people. AS a political event
1T is a failure.
Churlishness has never even by ca
| lumniators of Ireland been described as
| vice CT the Irish character. II there
was no warm welcome to the Duke of
York by the vast mass of the Irish peo-
pie there was at least no wanton and
unprovoked discourtesy. Exuberant en-
| thuslasm, as we have said, was not to be
expected. Indeed amongst the loyalists
themselves the arguments for kindly
| reception are pushed to no extravagent
lengths. THE young prince" It is truly
said. has never given Irishmen cause
for offence" 1t Is urged, no less truly
we trust, that "his coming will be the
occasion of attractive spectacles and
brisker trade" There will, no doubt, be
numbers found ready and willing to par
take OF such pleasure or profit as his
| visit may afford. So there we're bunting
III the streets and decorations in the shop
fronts. and the pavements and The Win
doWs had their sighteers when the pro-
cession went u Loyalist shopkeepers
have made ready to gather the golden
! harvest, and loyalist honor-lnnters are
ready to ostentatiously share in the de-
monstrations of welcome
To expect more than this would be
to expect the impossible. There is no
ill-feeling to the queen or royal family
in Ireland. Irish people are willing to
accept the monarchy provided that ma
tional self-government is conceded.
They are not proud Of the monarchy;
they are not grateful to the monarchy.
They have no reason to be- They have
heretofore been the outcasts and pariahs
of the constitution. To them it has
meant misery and oppression. BY royal
personages this country has been treat
ed with neglect not short of contempt,
Indeed, this very rarity of royal visit
to Ireland gives enhanced value as a
spectacle to the coming of the duke. A
royal parsonage in this country. being
seldom seen, will be more wondered at,
But it was curiosity rather than affec-
ton that brought the crowds together
When royalty becomes in ireland, as it
is III England, the crown and symbol Of
constitutional liberty, it will evoke Irish
devotion. but not before. One method,
indeed, is open to the queen and her ad-
visers to quicken a livelier feeling and
heartier welcome in Irish hearts, The
prayer is general and sincere that her
grandsons visit might graciously be
made the occasion by the queen of a
general amnesty Of the political prison
ers. The hope has been echoed even by
loyalists on both sides of the channel.
It's fulf1llment would raise to blood heat
the somewhat frigid welcome-civil but
strange-that is otherwise likely to be
accorded to his royal nighness and his
consort.