The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-05-26
WiII ireland Ever
Get Der Freedom?
oContinued from page ID

One Of the great developments of mod
ern political life is the recognition OF
the doctrine which teaches that every
nationality is happiest and best or
dered according as it is allowed the
freedom to develop its own highest
gifts and capacities, material, intellec-
tual and moral, in its own way.
On this principle the United States
of America are held together and form
part of one great republic, each state
managing its own local affairs for it.
self, and all combining to legislate for
the great interests which are common
10 allie on this principle Canada has
been governed since here rebellion at
the opening of Queen Victoria's reign
compelled the attention of the English
public and parliament to her meser-
able condition, and a sudden light of
inspiration enabled the government to
intTust the ordering of her future ar
rangements to a man Of genius. Lord
Durham, who set up the hOme-TUle
system there, and thus founded the
prosperous, COntented and loyal Do
miniOn Of Canada.
The same principle has made the
AEstralasian colonies what they are
the strong. prospecting, self-Tuling
states Of d great empire. 1t has al
ways been to me a matter Of wonder
how intelligent English public men on
either side Of the political field can
still shut their eyes TO the fact that
this is the principle that must be APP
piled to Ireland, if Ireland is ever to be
a strength and not a weakness, a COM
paniOn and not an enemy, to England.
/ do not believe that there is in the
heart Of Ireland any passionate yearn-
ing for an absolute and lonely indie
pcndence-the Independence Of a small
Atlantic island severed from political
connection with any other state sys-
TEN. Half an ordinary lifetime has
passed away since John Bright de-
clared that Ireland would be happy
contented and prosperous if she could
only be lOosed from her mornings in
the Atlantic and become a state of the
great American republic.
] am convinced that Ireland now
would become prosperous and happy
if only she We're allowed to be self
governing member of the British en-
pire. Nothing less viii ever content
her. and ] am ready to say that, ac-
cording to my deliberate conviction,
nothing less ought to content her. She
can never become a mere English pro
vince. ruled from Westminster. The
history. the traditions, the ways of the |
TWO peoples. the English and the Irish, |
are too unlike to admit of their fusion (
into one system of administration.
pie of self-government which brings /
out all that is Wisest, most Just and |
most progressive in the intellects of |
peoples, and we find this fact illus |!
trated all through the history of the !
civilized world.
This, then, is the freedom which ! /
believe Ireland is destined TO enjoy, (
and without which / maintain that she (
ought not TO be satisfied. Her attain
Of in tn
strong belief a question of time, and, I
possibly, even of accident. l am the
more anxious to express my opinions
on this subject because everybody who
knows anything about me, and l hope
] am known to a good many people in
the United States, must know that /
am not a fanatical and irreconcilable
extremist, who admits no possible
chance of a genuine union between
England and Ireland. l have lived too
long in England not to have strong
faith in the ultimate success of any
cause which makes its appeal to the
the good sense, and the
manhood of the great majority of the
English people. ] feel satisfied that in
the case of Ireland's claim to national
government such an appeal Will
triumph before long.
Educated Englishmen who are not
deeply concerned in politics are al
ready beginning to understand how
much there is that is valuable in liter
ature and are in the purely national
traditions and feelings of the Irish peo-
pie. Just at present our political cause
is suffering from the kind of reaction
under which other great principles are
as well-the reaction that fol-
lowed almost inevitably in English
public life when the influence of Mr..
Gladstone was SuddeD'V withdrawn
from its guidance. Tia period of re- ,
action is itself destined to pass away ,
and to be reacted upon, and then the
claims of Ireland to be allowed to man .
lge her domestic affairs for herself viii
once again find thorough recognition !
rom the whole liberal party, and will !
begin to get recognition from the con- :
sentative party as well. :
If / had any authority to state the I
'ase Of Ireland, my statement of it !
would be that Ireland demands the I
light Of administering her domestic !
affairs for herself and is ready on that :
to send her representatives ,
nto the imperial parliament at West :
Minister to speak for her on all ques- :
ions that concern the common inter- ;
,sts of the empire. The time cannot 9
De far off when all reasonable English
men viii begin to see that only thus, ,
md not otherwise, can any true solu- =
ION be OBTAINED Tor the JfOuDlOuS prop !
EN- which has so long perpleXde the !
of the two countries. :
Why any reasonable Englishman :
hould object to such a solution, or be :
fraid of it, or even see anything !,
doubtful about it, passes my under !,
landing. and ! am sure the time is !,
lot far distant when all rational Eng :
shmen viii wonder how the objec- :
ions and the fears and the doubts =
ould have found existence in the =
linds of men who were thought =
-orthy to C onduct the craftsmanship y
f a great empire. ;,
I answer, then, the question which 1 =
sked as the title of this article by l
uoting one of the closing lines of the =
anne poem: Yes, Ireland shall be -
ree''-the free and willing partner on =
air and equal terms in a great i'm y
a,.ial SyCtan1 '