The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-02
He Addresses the Central Branch
of the Irish National
Federation. Y
The Irish Party More absolutely
United Than Any Of
the Others. *'e-
Ireland Must be Kept in Evidence
in Order to Gain
-.
Success. @

Hon. Edward Blake, M, F., address,
ing the Central Branch of the Irish. Ma
tional Federation, Dublin, ireland, on
December 2, urged upon his hearers the
critical nature of the approaching :ses-
sion of Parliament in it's relation to Irish
interests. He reviewed the condition OF
both the English parties. The Conserv-
atives, though in power, are divided.
The Liberals are divided.
"Of the three parties In Parliament, I
believe" said Mr.. Blake, that the Irish
party is the most absolutely united in
point Of opinion upon political topics.
believe that the program which / have
sketched out to you, which / need not
say to you is not my program, but is
the program Of the great convention
which was held lately-it: was the pro-
gram embodied in the resolution of the
convention-is the program upon which,
in sentiment, in feeling, in determina-
ton to give it effect, all Nationalist
Irishmen; whatever may be their feel
ings as to men, however much they may
be divided otherwise, are agreed, and
have not observed any hostile criticism
with reference to any of these PROPOSE
tiOns which form the necessary staple
of the political action of the Irish Ma
tionalist party. But while we have the
least differences of any party upon these
questions involving considerations of
policy, unfortunately upon questions of
tactics and of persons-and mostly of
persons-we have the greatest difficult
ties of all. Now. how are we to deal
with these questions? We must not for
get that there is a great change in the
political situation from that which ex-
listed in the old time. We must not for
get that new rules have been adopted,
and that the power and capacity to at
tract and maintain the attention of the
British Parliament on Irish questions is
largely limited compared with what it
used to be. We must not forget that the
tendency is-and you will see it next
session-more and more to take the time
of the house for Government questions,
and the English Education question
will be the excuse and the pretext for
taking the time of the house, and the
opportunities of individual members of
those not on the Government benches
to bring up questions will in that way
be more limited than ever. We must
not forget, therefore, that now, even
more than when Mr.. Parnell adopted
that policy, it may be necessary, in order
to have our just influence in that house
for the benefit of Ireland to intervene
in other than purely Irish questions,
and bring ourselves in evidence in that
way, and I think we ought to take
every chance of keeping Ireland In evi-
dence. First of all by pressing on Irish
questions; and secondly, when those
opportunities do not arise, by evidencing
our determination as long as We are
retained at Westminster to play our part
with reference to British questions. i
do not believe there is any difference
about that among all sections of Irish
Nationalists. What more are we agreed
on? We are agreed upon the abstract
principle-not of the desirability but OF
the necessity of unity. I read the speech
Mr.. Redmond delivered 1T the annual
convention of the Par nellites, and he
agreed in effect that Ireland was help
less without unity and he demanded, as
understand it, as one condition, as the
one essential upon the restoration of
that unity for which we all pray de-
manded that we should become abso-
lutely independent of the Liberal party.
Well, the convention has dealt with that
also. 1t has declared that it is the reso
luton of the Irish party to be independ-
ent of the Liberal party. They have been
heretofore: they will be in the circum-
stances of the case still more hereafter.
Why? Because there was certain Pc
riod, when we were maintaining the
Home Rule Government in power, when
in the interest of Ireland and of Home
Rule we had to subordinate our opin-
ions. In order to accomplish the greater
we had to give up the less That con-
dition ceased to exist as soon as the
Liberals went into opposition, and al
though for one, no matter who may
say against it, do not choose to forget
although believe my Irish fellow
eountrymen will not forget that seven
+ years war that they waged i'm concert
with the Liberal party for the attain i Z
ment 81 Home Rule Though S do not
choose to forget that even at the last
general election, disastrous as Its results
were, very nearly one half of the whole
voting power Of the United Kingdo
was polled. IN favor Of Home q Rule, vet,
II hold and I know that my attainment:
ary stsnds NTH Tint ~.