The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-07-04
LAND BILL PROGRESSING.

The Irish Land Bill is progressing
rapidly and satisfactorily. The min
istry and the Irish Nationalist have
both shown a commendable spirit of
Cancellation. 1t may be true that the
Balfour government is in need of as.
sistance from the Irish members and
wishes to compensate them for past
favors, but 1t would be unjustifiable
to assert that the present British min
istry is not moved by a sincere desire
to settle the Irish land question. Re-
cent events have disclosed the danger
OF continued policy of coercion in Ire
land. In time Of troubles, such as the
Boer war, the British empire can ill
afford to have the enmity of such a
persistent and aggressive race rs the
Irish. The Irish question is not con-
fined to Ireland. The Irish nationality.
strong in America and Australia, has
created feeling of hostility to Eng
land, which presents a constant OBJ.
stacle to her aspirations.
So it has come to pass that Tory
ministry at the beginning of the TWEEN
tieth century has reluctantly come to
the conclusion that it would be well to
appease the Irish people. For cen
turtles past, England's policy has been
to settle the Irish question by con-
quering. She has succeeded in the
physical conquest, but the spirit of
Irish nationality has never surrender
ed. Religious persecution and indus
trial poverty have failed to accom-
plish the conquest of the indomitable
spirit of Irish nationality. England's
policy pursued for centuries had no
other effect than to force the Irish to
leave Ireland. But the Irish trans
planted to other countries have be-
come influential politically and indus
trially. and their influence is aggres-
sively against England. We believe
that the present movement in England
is THE inauguration of a new policy,
Perhaps the English statesmen back
of the present land bill think that Irish
national aspirations can he satisfied by
giving the Irish people an opportun-
ity to be industrially successful. 1t is
scarcely probable. however. that they
expect this result, they may hope for
it, hut the past teaches otherwise. 1t
is probable that England has about
eadhed the conclusion that the Irish
question must be settled, no matter
what the cost. There can be no mis-
take about it, Ireland has been and
is Il great source of weakness to the
British empire. England realizes that
she has Il tremendous struggle before
her. If she is to maintain her present
position among the nations. The
struggle will be not only military and
political. but also Industrial. In no
other way can we account for the at
titl1de of the present conservative gov
eminent than by assuming that the
policy of coercion in Ireland has been
abandoned. The cable announces that
John Redmond, the leader of the Irish
Nationalist in the House of Commons.
showed a conciliatory spirit by cut
ting off debate on the part of the Ma
tionMlists with the remark that time
could be better devoted to some other
sections Of the hill. The time is not
far in the past when Irish Nationalists
found it necessary to spell each other
III talking against time when Tory
measures were before the house. The
present situation. in which Irish Ma
tiomlists in the House of Commons
are eNpediting consideration of an
Irish measure by cutting off debate. is
an entirely new one. 1t is also an
nounced that William O'Rrien, the
Leading spirit of the United Irish
League. voluntarily dropped for the
time being an amendment to the Land
Bill which he had strongly urged, on
a statement from Secretary WIND
ham. to the effect that the amendment
would be seriously considered at n
later time. The idea of the leading
Irish aSitatOr agrccn" to desist from
further agitation on tho request of q,
Tory chief secretary is Il novel one,
Only one conclusion can he drawn
from these things and that is, that the
Irish NatiOnnliSts. who are the best
politicians in the House of Commons,
know that their demands will be ulti-
mately conceded.
GROWTH OF CATHOLICITY DOUBTED