The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-07-08
What He Thinks of the Alliance
And Imperialism.
INJURIOUS TO LIBERTY EVERYWHERE
Both Fostered and PromotedIby
English Influence.

The following interview with John
Dewey, the we'll known Irish revolution
lst, appeared in the Boston Globe of
June %, and will be read with interest:
And what OF Ireland's futurc?" Mr..
Dewey was asked.
well, great deal will depend on
the new councils, some on the course of
foreign affairs, and still more on what
takes place here in America during the
next seventeen months. The new local
bodies in Ireland place great political
machinery in the peoples hands, OF far
more importance, in my opinion, than
the parliamentary representation. If
rightly used, as am confident it will
be eventually, it will enable the Irish
people to work out their own destiny
and evolve the higher form of national
li(c that may be within their reach.
These bodies largely do away with
the necessity for organizations for pur-
poses OF agitation which may at any
moment be declared illegal, and enable
the popular will to be enforced and the
peoples voice to be heard with infinite
Iy greater force and effect. They will,
besides, produce and develop the men
and in time the man-who will force a
final settlement OF the Irish question.
And they can do all this, not by making
their councils mere substitutes for
agitating organizations by vcnilating
grievances, but by doing the public
business i'll proper, busincss-lkc and
economic way, and by demonstrating
the necessity for having all Irish bust
ness done by body truly representing
the people OF Ireland and responsible
to them alone
II have always believed that county
councils would come before national
lf-govcrnmcnt, and would be the chief
factor in wrestling the larger measure.
l am particularly pleased, therefore,
with Sir Thomas Esmondc's proposal
for a committee from each county coun-
Gil to meet in Dublin for the discussion
see by a recent copy OF the Parnelltc
newspaper, the Independent, that al
though Sir Thomas Esmonde is not a
member of their party, the paper,
nevertheless approves his suggestion
and supports it. That central body in
Dublin would not become in one sitting
or for a year an Irish senate, but it
could be made to smooth the way for
one 1t could be made as useful to the
Irish tory, whose interests are centered
in Ireland, and who wants those inter-
ests attended to, as to the nationalist,
and from sitting and acting together
they would all soon realize that their in
tcrests were all the same and could be
best served by all working together.
"1n this connection l may say that l
consider it of infinitely greater impor-
tance to convert to nationalism an
Orange lodge in Antrim, Derry or Ty-
rome, or one Presbyterian congregation
than to win over ten English constituent
cies to home rule. The one thing essen
tial to Irish success is united ireland,
for ireland united and properly led can
dictate terms to England. | would,
therefore, like to see our whole force
concentrated on the winning over of the
north. This would require a wholly diff
fercnt line OF policy from that now fol-
lowed by the majority, which repels
these northerns who are not OF the old
race. Parnell was winning them when
they threw him overheard. l would
make proportionaly the same sacrifice
to win over certain classes OF unionists
i'll the other three provinces"
"What do you think OF the election of
the aristocratic, or country gentlemen
class, who have got some seats on the
new county councils?" queried the re-
porter.
81 was very glad" said MIR. Devoy,
ito see such men as the O'Conor Don,
Lord Castletown, Lords Dunraven, EN-
ly, Montcagle and Greville, and such
men as Villiers Stuart, elected side by
side with stalwart natonalists, and by
nationalist votes and | have no doubt
that no matter what their present
views or misgivings may be, they will
contribute much toward the evolution of
a sound and healthy public life in Ire
land. Thrown in with stalwart nation
alists, they may exert somewhat of
restraining influence. but they will