The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-09-21

Mr.. Richard Williamson's fifth arti-
Gle on Irish affairs, in the series which
he is publishing in a Scottish paper,
deals with home rule. He believes
that the right of the Irish people to
govern themselves cannot be much
longer denied them, and he makes
strong appeal to Irishmen the world
over ito stand together and work for
the consummation of this long sought
boon. He says:
Home rule has, it must be con-
fessed, been found to be an idea quite
repugnant to the English mind. The
inveterate prejudices Of centuries are
not to be overcome by the reason of
q day. All men and nations fear to
enter on the unknown; even the super
lative authority of w. e. Gladstone
was unable to reconcile the English
people to his Irish policy. We have
also. had to contend with the Tory cry
about the disintegration of the empire.
The people have been told that home
rule would inevitably lead to the total
dismemberment Of the empire, and
ultimately to the ruin of England.
John Bull is, no doubt, very brave,
but he is easily scared by such big
words as disintegration, dismember-
ment, and such like. One of the most
deplorable characteristics of the ma
jority of the English people is the
readiness with which they listen to
anything that is said by the Tories.
The believers in Toryism never dream
of thinking for themselves, still less
of consulting history as to the truth
of their leaders assertions, but accept
them as gospel, coming, as they do,
tfrom such highly respectable source.
We are told by the Tory leaders that
home rule would inevitably lead to
the total dismemberment Of the en-
pire, and ultimately to the ruin Of
on record where the separation of one
country from another has proven un-
fortunate for either, Notwithstanding
the dogmatic representations Of those
who were opposed to such separation.
5 One of the principal arguments
brought forward by the Tories is that
when the Irish people obtain legisla-
tive power they will become hostile
nation. But the same argument was
used by the Dutch when they opposed,
by force of arms, the attempt by Bel.
gium to obtain her independence; and
it was so with Austria when Hungary
insisted upon having her own parlia-
ment. The Salisburys of those times
predicted that the Belgians would for
ever be at war with the Dutch, and
the Hungarians with the Austrians,
but exactly the reverse has happened;
all has been peace and prosperity.
Holland and Belgium are bound to-
gether in the closest bonds of friend,
ship, and it is the same with Austria
and Hungary.
Home rule for Ireland cannot now
be evaded. The law of the union
must now give place to the higher law
of humanity. The time has now come
for. the people of Ireland to obtain
the right to govern themselves in the
way they Judge best for the benefit Of
themselves and their country. Today
the home rule movement is more act
i've and its prospects are better than
at any time since the retirement of w.
e. Gladstone or the deposition of
Charles Stuart Parnell. With home
rule for Ireland, all questions affect
ing the country would be settled much
sooner and much more satisfactorily
than they are under the present sys-
TEN. There are many sound logical
reasons why Ireland should have the
control of its own affairs. 1t is still
nation 4,5OO,OOO strong. 1t has a
glorious history Of it's own, laws and
institutions of its own, and an untar-
nished nationality Of. its own. The
people feel the national longing to be
one of and by themselves, and, do
what England may. that longing will
Z never be stamped out 1t is the inner
-ent right of every Irish child to feel