The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-09-26
lRELAND's OPPORTUNITY.

Chamberlain is no longer a member
of the present English cabinet. His
resigna ton, following closely upon the
revelation in connection with the Afri-
can war, has practically completed the
overthrow of the Balfour government.
1t is probable that we will soon wit
ness campaigns in the United States
and Great Britain with the tariff as
the issue. Opinion is divided as to
what will become of Chamberlain.
Events of the last ten years have made
him the central figure in English poll
tics. There is no installing the fact
that Chamberlain has for IL long time
been the real leader of the UniOniSt
party. Lord Salisbury and Ralfour
have nominally been the leaders, but
Chamberlain furnished the brains and
activity which kept the party together.
He has been the enemy of the Irish
people in the past. 1t is therefore
rather surprising to see reports that
Chamberlain counts upon the support
of the Irish NatiOnaliStS in Parliament.
TO Chamberlain more than any other
factor was due the wreck Of the strong
Liberal party under Gladstone. Cham
cal Liberal representing the working
men of the manufacturing center of
birmingham. He soon became a
leader in that party. and when Glad
stones home rule bill was introduced,
Mr.. Chamberlain with other Liberals
seeded from the party and joined the
Conservatives in opposing that meas
ure. Ever since. Chamberlain has al
lied himself with the UniOnist party
and has been in the last few years
the man who held the party together.
During all the time since his secession
from the Liberal party lie has been the
strong and consistent opponent of
everything which the Irish National
lists eSpouScd. II, therefore, Mr..
Chamberlain means to build up Il new
one of its constituent factors, he will
have to offer something very different
to the Irish people from what he has
been serving up to them for the last
ten Years. lie WAS the chief inStig;l-
tor of the B0cr war. and the whole
world knows where Irish sympathy
was in that contest. His latest Cry
has been for Il closer union between
the different countries making up the
British empire. This will never APP
peal to Ireland, which has been fight
ing for Il century to get as far away
from the British empire as possible
| The cry of protection to the trade and
industries of Ireland by an English
tariff law will hardly catch Il people
whose chief request is to be protected
from English laws and English gov.
crnment. If then Mr.. Chamberlain is
counting upon the support of the Irish
| Nationalist. he must be considerin.
| the concession of Irish demands. He
cannot count upon his popularity with
the Irish people. for that is very much
a minus quantity. He cannot point to
his record, for upon his record the
Irish would send him to ST. Helena
for the remainder of his days. if it
were in their power to do so. He can
not gain Irish favor by shouting for
imperialism, for the Irish are not I'M
perialists. He cannot enthuse the
Irish on the question of free trade or
protection, for these issues have no in
terest for people who have no trade.
If the Tory party expects the sup
port of the Irish Nationalist party it
must be ready to concede to that party
more than a Catholic university at
Dublin, which it is said Secretary
Wyndham has offered. The able Irish
leaders will not fail to take full ad-