The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-14
NArIoY4h OR 4GRARr.4v.

NATIONAL OR 4GRIRI4N.
movement? Has there say in the past $50
years, been anything involved in the con-
hict between the English and Irish in
Ireland save the ownership of the soil?
That is a question which tbs recent
progress of events has brought more pal
pably into prominence than ever before.
OF course if one is to accept Irish song
and story for an aswer to the question
it must be admitted at once that the
Irish movement is glorious struggle for
the abstract principle of national lib
erty-the right of the people of Ireland
to run their own affairs free from all in
reference and, indeed, all interest. on
the part of England or English influences.
But Irish song and story appeals some
what more to the emotional than to the
practical phases of life; and we might
there seek a very unreliable teacher.
The best fought struggles of the Irish
for dominion in their own country have
been purely national in scope and pur-
pose. The splendid record of military
achievement of Hugh O'Neill is the one
chapter in Irish history which leaves the
impression firmly on the mind of the
modern reader that the Irish at any stage
of their revolt against English domina-
ton were capable OF rising above mere
factionism. The O'DonnelIs, uncle and
nephew, showed that the native Irish
rulers and their descendants had the best
qualities of royalty aninating them Had
the Spanish descendant. of the O'Donnens
not been called from earth at a fateful
moment in the struggle which he welded
with so much success against the English
generals, the entire face of Anglo-Irish
history might be changed.
But since his Cay what has it been?
The Emmett rebellion was a picturesque
f1asco. The 98 movement proper was not
war; it was little more than a sporadic
outbreak against the unquestioned bru-
tal,ty of the English dominion of that
day, made visible by the ruthless abuse
and impoverishment of the Irish peas
antry. Anyone who has read Grabaya-
DORIS account of Humbert's landing in the
West will have little doubt of the utter
unftness of the country and it's people
at that time for an independent national
existence. The '4S movement; the O'Con
nell repeal movement; the Brass Band;
the Fenians and the Land Leaguers, not
to speak of the several minor agrarian
movements under the general designation
of ribbonism, show in their results. that
what the Irish people have been really
intent on is the getting root once more
in the soil of the island. No movement
in century or over has ever had even
the sunshine of a days success rest on
it which did not appeal to the peoples
desire for the land and it's ownership
Even today William OBrien and his new
movement-about which few outside Ire
| land know, or, indeed, care-derives it's
principal strong ingredient out of it's
agrarianism.
Many of the most earnest of the be-
levers in an Independent Irish national
ity have had the life taken out of their
faith by the progress of events in South
Africa. "Englands difficulty is Irelands
opportunity has been the motto of all
revolutionary movements among the Irish
people in recent years. 1t was surely
England's difficulty when the Beers rose
and successfully met the English fore es
in battle after battle. A handful OF
Irish in New York city-who made no
speech about their love of liberty, Show
ed, that, right or wrong, wise or foolish,
they could fight for liberty at the most
tremendous Odds and submit practically
to humiliation rather than accept what
they believe to be enslavement. Along
side such performances the Irish proc
lamation of love of liberty and determi-
nation to contest with force of arms the
right of England to rule the county, ap-
pears little better than an absurdity.
The solution of the Irish difficulty for
England, as we'll as for the Irish them
selves, is in the soil. Undo the muir
derous plantations, make the Galway and
Mayo peasant the owner of the acres on
alternative of going to hell, a few CEN
! turtles ago Give him control of his own
local government agencies. Make good
for him England's boast of devotion to