The Irish standard., 1902-01-04
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
The session of the British parlia-
mcnt which opens on the 18th of this
month will be an exciting one from
all indications. We are concerned
with it only so far as it concerns Ire
and. And to speak frankly, we do not
expect any benefit to Ireland from its
deliberations. The eighty Nationalist
members may cause considerable an
noyance to the British members of the
House of Commons in prolonging de-
bates, but in the end they will have
accomplished nothing of any impor-
lance for the country they represent in
an alien assembly.
Under the leadership of Gladstone a
home rule bill for Ireland was passed
by the Commons, but killed by the
Lords. Any similar bill passed by the
Liberals would be rejected by the
Tory aristocracy of the upper house,
who outnumber the Liberal aristoc-
racy therein by ten to one. The only
party that can carry a home rule bill
in both chambers is the Tory party,
and at the present time there is no
probability that Salisbury, Chamber
lain, Balfour and their followers will
favor anything but coercion bills for
Ireland. Therefore it is that despite
the astutcncss and cleverness of John
Il. Redmond and his adherents in de-
bate. they will achieve no results.
They may create lively scenes. as in
the last session, and be elected bodily
from THE lower chamber by the police
The leaders of both British parties
are angry with the Irish for sympa-
thiZing with the Beers, and the ora
tory of Il Demosthenes pleading for
justice to Ireland in such hostile
assembly would produce no effect.
The majority Of Irish-Americans have
lost confidence in parliamentary dis
cussion for the redress of Irish griev-
ances. The only argument that Eng
land will listen to on behalf of Ireland
is physical persuasion.
But it may he said that the Irish
are unable to use physical force in
order to obtain their national rights
from the alien oppressor. If they
are not able to fight successfully,
they can offer gallant resistance to
the enemy. They are now united I'M
der the banner of the Irish League,
and a united people willing to suffer
for their country will succeed in the
end. The battle for Ireland's free
dom is to be fought on Irish soil, and
not in the British parliament. The
landlords of Ireland must be driven
from the country ere the house of
peers will pass Il Home Rule bill. If
the members of that assembly had no
landed interests in Ireland their an
tagonism to self-govcrnment would
soon cease.
| The Irish Standard has no sanguine
hopes that Ireland can obtain home
government while landlordism exists
on the island. The movement to
root the Irish people in their soil and
keep them from emigrating to for
cgn countries has the hearty endorse
ment of every sincere friend of the
race. The tillers of the soil must
become the proprictors thereof be-
fore the people are contented and
happy in their native land. "The
land for the people, must be the battle
cry of Ireland. The United Irish
League can effect more good than
the Irish Parliamentary Party, and
the British government realizes the
fact 1t is already conducting a Wig
orous campaign against the league
especially in the West where it had
it's birth. 1t has proclaimed martial
law in several counties and is casting
prominent men into prison without
trial by jury. In few months, if the
Irish display courage worthy of their
sircs, the whole country will be on the
verge of a revolution. Let them stick
together, and they cannot but win.
We think the parliamentary men,
bcrs should stay in Ireland to inspire
the people with courage. They will
help their cause more by being in pris-
on than at Westminster. The more of
them are put behind prison bars for
dcnouncing landlordism, the more the
United Irish League will become pop
ular on this side of the Atlantic. A
so called legal and constitutional agi-
tation". in Ireland will gain but few
friends in America. The Irish people
must despise the British law and con-
stitution and trample them under foot
Pc they expect moral and material aid
dfrom stheira exilsds conntymsn in the