The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-03-29
THE CHEERING OF THE Cells

1t was quite natural, but altogether
tactless, on the part of certain Irish
members to cheer when Mr.. Brodrck,
in the House of Commons. read out
the news of the terrible disaster which
had befallen Lord Mctlucn and the
troops under his command in South
Africa. 1t was natural, because these
representatives of Il people whose
memories are haunted with the hor-
rors Of '9S warmly sympathize with
the Beers who are suffering similar
horrors and are rightly struggling to
free their country from the authors of
them. The friends Of freedom all the
world over are either secretly or OPEN
~ congratulating the Beers OH the
blow which Delarey has struck for
liberty and there is nothing unprcce-
denied in the conduct of the Irishmen
who chcered the announcement of his
victory, says Reynolds Newspaper.
The great Chatham himself did not
hesitate to give vent to his feelings Mt
serious crises in the struggle between
the mother country and her revoltcd
colonies in America. When the report
of the first British victory over the
colonists came in, Chatham openly de-
plored "this terrible news" Still, par
lament is not the place for jubilation
over military disasters involving ma
tional humiliation and it was particu-
larly unwise of the more impulsive of
MIR. Redmond's followers to break in
to cheers over Il defeat in which many
n brave Irishman has no doubt lost his
life. Their conduct was not approved
by their own leaders, who are well
aware how important it is that Irish
men should keep their heads cool Just
now when the lingo press is only too
glad Of any excuse for urging the gov
ernment to revert to the brutal policy
of coercion in the distressful country.
Free speech has already been sup
pressed in Ireland, and it will need
very little pressure to persuade the
government that Severe measures"
are the only means of preserving claw
and order" in the Emerald Isle. The
blockheads at Downing-street and
Dublin Castle have not intelligence
enough to reflect that despotic meth
obs can never succeed with high
spirited people. Ireland has never vet
been conquered and never will be con-
quered by methods of violence. You
can only conquer such people by JUS
tice and generosity.
1t seems impossible, however, to i'm
press this truth upon the unimagina-
tive creatures calling themselves
statesmen who have no faith in any
thing stronger than bayonets and bull
let's. Manful efforts to convince them
that brute force is weakness have fire.
quently been made, but have invaria-
bly, failed. The most impressive speech
that John Bright ever made in the
House of Commons was delivered on
the occasion of the decision of the
government Of the day to suspend the
Habeas Corpus Act in Ireland. After
reviewing the terrible consequences Of
the adoption Of policy of coercion by
successive governments, Liberal as
well as Tory, the great orator asked
whether it was not possible to find a
more excellent way and concluded his
speech with that sublime quotation
from the sacred writer, "Unto the up
right there ariseth light in the dark
ness"
But our ministers are not upright;
they are creators of darkness, not
seekers after the light. Hence they
blunder on from crime to crime, reck-