The Irish standard., 1903-10-10


national programme. We are some
times apt to forget the condition of
discord and dependency in which the
country was weltering four or five
years ago. The Irish question was
scarcely mentioned except with con-
tempt i'll the English Parliament
Home rule was declared to be as dead
as Queen Anne. The very paper that
now denounces us as traitors for not
being able to win more than this shock
jngly moderate land act was never
tired Of telling us that there was no
longer an Irish land question - that
Mr. Gerald BalfOur had settled it for
ever. Look around tonight and see
what Il few years of unity and Of ac-
tive and fearless work OH the part of
the people have effected That cow
ardiS feeling 'of dependency has dis
appeared. Discord Inns been changed
into unity. and decentralization into dis
cipline. An Irish Parliamentary party
broken into fragments has been once
more transformed into an incompaI-
able fighting machine, sprung from
the people and depending on the peo-
pie. From becoming the byword of
the English Parliament the Irish party
has become its master. and whereas
barely twelve months ago no words
could describe our criminality, and no
coercion could be too brutal to put us
down. Mr.. Redmond and his colea CUES
have just led the Unionists and the
landlords of Ireland and the Liberal
party and the Tory party OF England
hand in hand to the altar at which
the coercion government has sacrificed
the Iphiycnei;l of llndlortlism. the
most ancient institution of the Saxon
conqucSt-S;crticcd it, without Il sigh
or Il tear. for the salvation of the coun-
try. l say. when you bear all that in
mind. we have some right to ask you
to believe that the Methods and the
men who have succeeded thus far will
go further and succeed further if
paths. and if you do not allow
the present fabric of National unity to
be struck down to please any mani
at all events. until you are quite sure
what is to he the alternative to come
after it. have no hesitation in speak
ing quite frankly on this matter
Whatever little ambition ever had in
Irish life has already been more than
amply fulfilled. If can still be of
any public use. it is because ! have
nothing to hope for and nothing to
dread from amy man. | always re-
gard these things without any humhug
or false shame from the point of view
how this Irish cause is to be advanced
in Il practical way. no matter who may
be the men or what may he the wrap-
onS that are for the moment the most
eHectual; and therefore ii is | say that
no nation over possessed Il cheaper
army of defence. and no nation wns
ever led to Il more blOodlrSS victory
than has crowned our banners within
the past sin months. when that hoHry
fcudnl system which for ages bowed
down the hearts of our people has
been doomed to demolition. and Il hui
drcd millions worth of property in the
soil of Ireland carlnarkrd for the poo
pie. not merely without Il shilling of
cost, but With the saving of probably
at least II million ana Il half of money
in their yearly payments, and all that
with no greater sacrifice on the part
of the country than IL few score Of CO.
erciOn prosecutions. such as would
have taken place in a single village
in the coercion days of Mr.. Forster or
Mr.. BalfOur UOud cheers,. My first
point. therefore. is that YOU have ut
your command the right machinery
and the right men, and, more than
that. the right leader in Mr. Redmond
whose Sagacity and GOODNESS ana firm
ness and c0nciiatory temper in those
last trying months have it l may be
allowed to say so, strengthened him
still further in the confidence Of his
party and his countrymen. My second
point is that the forces which have
destroyed landlordism can destroy
Dublin Castle rule. ! will go further.
and say that the winning of a Nation
al parliament under present circum
stances is an infinitely easier task than
tire abolition of landlordism was
twelve months ago. | will go one step
further, and say that the day that the
land conference proved that Irishnen
could settle the land question among
themselves they struck the greatest
blow for home rule for Ireland that
ever was struck since Grattan carried
his Declaration Of Independence. |
have no difficulty in avOwing that for
me one of the charms of that Land
CONFERENCE.-The of the things that
reconcled mo to some sacrifices and
c0mpromiSeS--wAs the feeling that
without saving one word of home rule,
and although possibly nothing was
further from the minds OF some Of our
able landlord colleagues, | felt that
we were Sapping and undermining
Dublin Castle Just as surely as We
were demolishing landlordism: and
from the very beginning of the United
Irish League / have preached that