The Irish standard., 1903-08-01

al party. He stuck to Gladstone when
he WAS fighting for Home Rule for
Ireland. although the Grand Old Man
was deserted by the Dukes of West
minister and DcvOnShrc and &; host of
rrStwhlc titled Liberals. His mother,
Queen Victoria. began as Liberal
and had Liberal and Whig ministers
and advisers for many years following
the year in which she was crowned
but ended Il true blue Tory who had
no sympathy with Gladstone's radical
schemes of reform. On this score the
Prince of Wales was at outs with the
Queen. and while she barely tolerated
Gladstone he was his warm friend and
was not ashamed of it, That King
Edward, although ut the head of the
Church Of England. is not bigOttcd is
proved by his late visit to Pope Leo
NH and his expressions of sympathy
before and since the Popc's death.
The Irish people consequently esti-
mate the king as a broad g,lagc man
who will never allow pride or pref
udicc or party interest to stand in the
way Of Justice towards Ireland. AS
an instance of this is is reported, on
the authority OF William II. Stead,
that when Sir Anthony Mcdonnell was
appointed under secretary for ireland
he called upon King Edward and said
Before l proceed to my post in Dub
lin desire your majesty to under
stand that l am not only an Irishman
and Roman Catholic but I am also
in sympathy with the national aspira-
tions of my countrymcn." The king
assured him that it did not matter in
the least as he only desired that his
administration of affairs in Ireland
would be as successful as it was in
India. The great work King Edward
seems to have in view is to bring about
more cordial and friendly relations
among the nations. If the autocmtic
ruler OF mighty Russia succeeded in
having established an international
Court of Arbitration ut the Hague
which is likely to ward off the horrors
of grim visngcd war;" why should not
he as head of the most liberal of con-
stitutional monarclics do something
in a similar direction? With this end
in view he has visited Portugal, Italy
ana France, and the world has been
looking on at Il love feast of kings,
princes and presidents CIHsping of
hands, drinking from lovng-cups,
vows of eternal amity ana friendship
arc the order of the day. 1t is the
earnest wish of King Edward to have
the United STATES Join in the festive
whirl, but in order to accomplish it
Ireland must be plncatcd. Earl Gram
willie. under whose wing Queen Vic
toria learned to rule, asserted "a
friendly spirit between England and
the United States depended upon the
cOnciliatiOn Of Ircland.' Impressed
by the same conviction King Edward
had been urgent for the passage of the
Irish Land Bill before the time set for
his visit to ireland. At Il dinner given
by the Pilgrims Club, few days ago
in London. Mr.. George Wyndham,
chief secretary for Ireland, in respond
ing to the toast 'Iiis Maiesty's Minis
tcrS," said, Ellis chief incentive in in
Producing the Irish Land Bill was to
bring about more cordial relations be-
tween Great Britain and the United
States" He chad felt that Ireland
which had been chasm might become
a link between England and the Uni
ted States" United States Senator
Chaunccy Dcpew was in the chair and
many prominent Americans were pres
ell. The minister only voiced the
sentiments of the king. The policy Of
the present Tory government. with the
hearty cooperation of the king, is to
create a prosperous and contented Ire
land by settling once for all the land
question and making the tillers of the
soil the actual owners: by encouraging
industrial and agricultural develop
ment; by roofing out Dublin Castle
rule: and by the steady. gradual ex-
tension of local self-government They