Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-13
IRISH NATIONAL MOVEMENT
Advanced TO a Front Place in the Political
Life of the British Empire.
|TRENeTH AND PURPOSE OF THE LEAGUE
Conditions which Brought Aggres-
sive Unity Out of Chaos and
Materially Advanced the
Irish Cause.

Hon. Justin Mccarthy, former member Of
Parliament and for two years president Of
the Irish Parliamentary party. supplements
the information given In Omaha last week
by representatives of the United Irish
league with a review OF the origin and de-
velopment Of the organization and the arm,
aggressive unity that prevails among the
supporters OF self government In Ireland.
Mr.. McCarthy's letter is reproduced from
the New York Independent.
The Irish national movement has once
again advanced to a front place in the
political life Of the British empire. Not
for many years have the vast majority of
the Irish people been SO thoroughly united
In the home rule cause and so admirably
represented In the House of Commons as
we see them at the present day. Not
withstanding, OF perhaps to a certain ex-
tent because OF the excitement caused by
the events In South Africa, the Irish ques-
ton has assumed a position OF Importance
such as 1t had never held since the death
of Charles Stewart Parnell.
After that event, and indeed after the
division in the Irish party which preceded
Il, the cause Of home rule appeared for a
time to be in a langulshing and discredited
condition. The national representation of
ireland in Parliament was divided into two
parties, one by far the larger in numbers
and the other, although numerically very
small, yet strong in the intensity OF its
emotions, and what oeemed to be its utterly
irreconcilsble attitude. The country itself
was divided in much the same way. The
great majority of the Irish nationalist
were anti -Parpellites as the phrase then
went, while there was still an effective
minority OF uncompromising Parnellites. l
need not enter at any length into the his
tory Of the melancholy and disheartening
interval OF something like political inaction
which followed. Most Of the Irishmen en-
gagged in the movement saw perfectly well,
even at the gloomiest moment OF that In
terval, that the national cause itself was
founded upon a rock of principle and that
no unhappy accidents could prevail against
It. The heart, the faith and the intelll-
Kence OF the Irish people at home and
abroad are set on accomplishing the ma
tional claim OF ireland to govern its own
affairs by means of an Irish Parliament.
The demand is that Ireland shall have such
a domestic Parliament to deal with its
own work as the Dominion Of Canada has
long enjoyed and as the Australian COM
moawealth has lately obtained. Such a
demand as this, so reasonable in principle,
30 we'll approved in living example and IL
lustration, is too Just to fall OF ultimate
success and therefore at the darkest hour
of depression we Irishmen, whether living
IN or out Of Ireland, never felt the slightest
doubt that success must come In the end.
Founder of the League.
The sudden and complete revival OF inc
United National movement Is, however,
mainly due IN the first instance to the pa
triotic energy and fervor of one lrshman'
william o'Brien. This man, who had been
imprisoned more than once In ireland Tor
delivering speeches against the exlstng
government and against some acts OF iegls-
lation which any Englishman might have
delivered In England and any American
might have spoken in Washington, had won
reputation even in the hostile Houoe OF
Commons for sincerity. for unselhsh devo-
ton to his cause and for thrilling elo-
uuence. He had won the affection and the
confidence Of his own people to the fullest
extent. O'Brien became inspired with the
idea OF undertaking a sort OF crusade
throughout Ireland against disunion OF
whatever kind and OF creating a new ma
tional organization which should take the
direction OF the movement into It's own
hands. He devoted his energy and elo-
Quence, such remains of health and strength
as he had and his personal means to carry
on this new agitation. He founded the
Irish National league, which has Its repre-
sentative and ruling bodies In every town
and village OF Ireland, and Is now all-pow-
erful In the choice of the men who are Il
maintain the cause OF ireland In the British
House Of Commons. Under former condi-
lions II might not unfairly be said that the
Irish Parliamentary party controlled the
people OF ireland. Now It may truly b
said that the people Of Ireland create and
control the Irish representation in Parlia'
ment.
How UniOn Wal Effected.
The National league became a complet,
success, and is now thoroughly established
all over the country. O'Brien's health
however. completely broke down under tn,
strain and pressure OF the great task h,
had undertaken, and his country has for
long time had to dispense with his serv
fees In the House of Commons. in orde
that he might as far as possible recruit