Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-10-08


world, and if we are to continue to assert
our claim to national self-government,
it is of the most supreme national inn
portance that this high Office should be
bestowed, not merely upon capable and
able man, but also upon man who will
he a representative of the national senti-
ment of the people. To do otherwise
would, in my opinion, be an act of crim-
inal stupidity and weakness, and nothing
less than a national scandal. You are
aware, gentlemen, that section, small
section, of the present old corporation
have allied themselves to the Conserva-
tive members CT that corporation i'll order
to elect to the chair next year Sir Robert
Sexton, man against whom personally
none of us have the slightest desire to
say a disrespectful word, but who is
after all the representative of our polit-
ical opponents, and has been himself a
lifelong opponent of our national
claims. My colleagues and myself for
the last seven years have been fighting
for federation in the public life of Ireland.
We have faced calumny and persecution
in the cause of federation. We desire
liberation in the public life of Ireland.
We desire to see the best men elected to
all these public bodies in Ireland, and'we
think that, to adopt the policy of exclud-
ing from these public bodies every man
who differed from us politically or relig-
lousy would be an absolutely suicidal POI
icy for Irish Nationalist to adopt. For
my part-and think / speak in the name
of the Parnellites of Dublin-for my
part would be willing to give them, not
only in Dublin, but all through Ireland,
a fair will say even a generous share
of representation upon these bodies. For
my part sincerely hope that not only in
Dublin but everywhere throughout Ire
land men of all classes and creeds and
politics may be fairly and generously
represented OH these new bodies, and I
say to these men that if i'll the future
they keep these fair promises that they
have given, if instead of being as they
have been for so many centuries part
of the English garrison here they turn
round and become part of the Irish gar
rison, why they will find that there will
be no honor too great for the Irish people
to bestow on them in the future, if they
cease to be West Britons and if they de-
clare themselves to be Irishmen. But,
having said so much, there is something
more to be said If, in the name of this
liberation, which is patriotic and easily
understood, before the value of these
promises is known to us, before we know
anything of the working of this local
government act, and in the first year OF
the full enfranchisement of the people
under this act it is proposed to bestow
the highest representative honor i'll Ire
land upon an open and strenuous oppo-
nent of the national cause, such a
course seems to me nothing short of
open madness, and can not conceive any
thoughtful man who considers these
facts, no matter how generous of DISPOSE
ton or tolerant of nature / can not con-
ceive any Thoughtful man proposing such
a course at the present moment. In dis
cussing this question we have the conso-
lation of knowing that such proposal
as has been made can never be carried
into effect. We know perfectly we'll that
there is no more chance of an anti
Nationalist being elected Lord Mayor of
Dublin next year than there is, say, of a
Nationalist being elected Lord Mayor of
London next year, or, let us say, Belfast.
For my part sincery regret that this is
sue has been raised at all. regret that
Sir Robert Sexton, of whom have moth
ing disrespectful to say, should have the
humiliation of this contest and this inev-
liable defeat put upon him. l regret
that in the first elections under the local
government act this element of discord
has been thrown into our midst. But as
this issue has been raised our plain duty
is to face it, and the way to face it is
simple. We must fight this matter out
in every election in every ward in the
city.
Now gentlemen, the other matter de-
sire to allude to is really in sense a
branch of the same question. 1t is no
use for us to say that when these contest
ed elections arise that we will do our best
to have proper men elected unless we
take the necessary precautions of sensible
men to enable us to make winning
fight These elections are to be won not
next January; they are to be won today,
tomorrow and the next few days in the
Revision Courts. am glad to know
earnest and self-sacri6cing efforts have
been made by number of public-spirited
citizens to prepare for this revision.
Especially think word of praise is due
to the efforts of those who started the St.
Stephens Green National Registration
Society. Those gentlemen have provided
money out of their own pockets; they
have employed men working in advance
of the registration, and now, as it were,
to eliminate their efforts they have
actually engaged solicitors to appear in
the courts and look after the interests,
not merely Of Stephens Green Division.
but every other division in the city, with
the result that there is at the disposal of
the electors in every ward in every divis-
ion of this city the services of skilled So