The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-10
The Proposed Reunion OF the Irish
N~ationalists.

Il would be happy" said Mr.. JOHN Dr.
Lon at Glasgow last October, ito accept
the place Of private in the ranks il that
would bring about Nationalist unity" The
sincerity OF the declaration has now been
proved. Mr.. DILLON has refused reelection
to the place Of Parliamentary Chairman OF
the anti-Parncllite party, with a view OF
promoting the reunion of all Nationalist
members OF the House OF Commons on the
tactical lines pursued by Mr.. PARNELL
from 1885 to 1890. AS he has since been
in conference with influential members OF
the Parnellitc faction, there is good reason
to believe hat the long-hoped-for reunion
of the Irish Nationalists may be brought
about at the Irish National Convention to
be held in the coming month OF March.
The division of the Nationalist members
nj Parliament, which has lasted ever since
the deposition of Mr.. PARNELL from the
leadership, has not only diminished the
number Of seats controlled by them, but
has lessened their weight and influence
10y preventing them from acting col
l~n"tively at important political crises.
When Mr., PAENELL was leader, the Nation
a'ists occupied 81 OF the seats allotted to
ireland. and one English seat, namely, that
furthc Scotland division of Liverpool. In
the present Parliament they retain the
Liverpool seat, which is held by Mr.. T. P.
OGnSNoR, an anti-Parnellite. but have only
81 Irish seats, Of which II belong to the
rarn"liitCs. and 20 to the -Parnellites.
Before the last session OF Parliament
Mr.. joins DILLON was reelected Par
liamentary Chairman by a majority OF
Al --.. ,.. 49,. u
minority. headed by Mr.. T. HEALY, were
dissatisfied with the choice. and on more
than one occasion showed themselves dis
posed to act Independently. II the three
sections into which the Nationalist party
WAS thus practically split can be persuaded
at tho approaching Irish National COnven-
ton to cooperate heartily with one an
other, not only can the four Irish seats
now lost ne regainod al the next general
election, but one or two additional seats in
Ulster can be probably carried. Moreover,
tho roconsolidatcd party, acting as a unit
upoG PARNELL's lines, will become once
moro u formidable and, under conceivable
conditions, a decisive factor in the House
OF Commons.
This suspicious prospect Of Nationalist
reunion is directly due to the phenomenal
success of the new agrarian organization,
the United Irish League, which was started
In 1905, and Of which Mr.. WILLIAM BRIEN
may be regarded az the founder, This as,
sociatiun seems destined to play an even
more remarkable part than was taken by
= ITS prototype, the Land League, at the time
when Mr.. PARNELL was most powerful
The Land League, it will be remembered
, represented the great body OF the tenant
farmers. They were the backbone of Par
ne.iism. but they have thriven under anne
liorated conditions, and have developed
q into contented men, whose main desire IL
. TO mind their farms and put a bit by.
They can no longer be depended on fol
serious assistance in another land agita
ton, and, consequently, the revolutionist
have been forced to look further afeld.
The purpose OF the United Irish League Il
To benefit u section OF the Irish population
numerically much larger and more deserv
Z ing Of compassion than is now, or ever was
the so-called tenantry. We refer TO tn,
agricultural lahorers, who have ~scarcel,
profted at all by the land reform acts an,
the land purchase acts OF tho last eighteel
. years. The United Irish League intends +
Dr. ravolutionIze, economically and socially, tn
statue OF this large and needy section G