The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-11
THE IRISH SITUATION.

The currents of Irish politics have flown
rather sluggishly for some nine years
past. The Irish people themselves
shown but little interest comparatively
In the work Of the men who represent
them In the British parliament. The feuds
which have prevailed among these men
have had the effect, If not of undermine
Ing the popular faith In parliamentary
action for the accomplishment of political
ends, at least of withdrawing from the
Irish parliamentary representatives of
each and every faction the faith of the
mass Of the people.
The recent reunion of the Irish parlia-
mentary forces has not aroused anything
like the old faith In the results of their
ic What may be called the literary eX-
preston OF the aspirations of the Irish
race fills today larger place in the at
tention Of the people than at any time
since the days of the Young Ireland
movement. Nor does that movement as
the older one did. direct itself toward
the political Ills of the people. 1t looks
more to the revival Of the literature and
language of Celtic Ireland, and It's ap-
peal Is rather to the occult influences
which have always played so important
a part IN the intellectual and spiritual
life of the Irish race. The militant note
is certainly absent and the historic ira
ditfon which is invoked leads to the do
main of poetry and romantfcism
Still another movement has sprung up
in Ireland since the disappearance from
, the public stage of Charles Stewart Par
nell and of the great movement Of which
he was the soul and Inspiration. It looks
toward an Industrial revival. In a re-
cent contribution to American magazine
literature, Shamus Macmanus called at
tention to the fact that the influence of
the United States had wrought something
approaching a revolution in the social
and economic habits of the people in Ire
land. With more liberal land legisla-
ton and a more practical direction given
to the energies of the people, the stand
ards of living among the Irish masses
have advanced, and the immediate materf-
al interests of the individual are receiv-
ing a degree of thought and attention
which has not been bestowed on them
in the past. This movement, like It's lit
erary contemporary, leads away from all
political agitation.
Those who still believe in the gospel of.
force are mostly looking with Indifference
on the progress of events in Ireland The
defeat of the British arms in South
Africa gave for the time renewed hope
to the adherents of physical force as the
true remedy for Irish ills and for the re-
also operated in a reverse direction Many
of the most patriotic Irishmen, who had
made the dictum of Dean Swift. wrongly
attributed to John Mitchell that Eng
lands difficulty furnished Ireland's oppor-
tunity, the chief tenet of their political
faith, have seen that difficulty arise and
apparently recede from view without any
provision whatever made to meet it. The
Beers are fighting their own battles The
revolutionary Irishman- and his resources
have been in evidence not at all Irish
soldiers of the rank and file have
been in the van guard of England'a
the leadership of Irish officers from
WolseIey and Roberts and Kitchener to
KelIy-Kenny and Gen. French. 1t is hard
indeed to maintain faith in the agencies
of physical revolution as the most avail
able agency for the political liberation Of
Ireland In view of the course of events in
South Africa for the past four months
The existence Of an Irish brigade among
the Transvaal forces furnishes but a poor
response to the cherished wish of gen.
erations of the race who have looked for
ward to such an occasion as that which
now appears to be drawing to a close on
the broad veldts of the Orange Free State
What may spring from the reunion of
Irish parliamentary forces, or whether
aught Of substantial gain to the Irish peo-
pie will result from It, no man knows.
The opportunity which Parnell created
ended in his destruction. O'Connell and
Shiel, Grattan and Curran and the
Emmets are but a historic memory.
The warrior clansmen who rallied to the
standards of the O'NeiIls and the O'Don-
nels, who followed the fortunes of Sars-
field, and went to defeat under the o Sui
Ivan Bere, long ago left their bones to
bleach on Irish hil-sides or on the strange
soil of continental Europe, and their de-
scendants in Ireland today may content
themselves, If they can. with the assur-
ance that the queen, after a lapse of
half century or so, intends to visit their
land, and that their brethren fighting
England's battles in other lands may
hereafter wear sprigs of shamrock on St.
Patricks day in the buttonholes of their
military coats.
WOMAN AND DIVORCE.
Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton has con-
tributed an article to the current num-