The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-11-14
WILL THERE BE ANOTHER SPLIT.

WILL THERE BE ANOTHER SPLIT.
1t is to he hoped that Mr.. William
Ol'rien will reconsider his decision to
| resign his scat in the House of Com
mons and his position on the govern
ing board of the United Irish League.
1T has been apparent for some time
that there has been some friction
among the Irish leaders as the wis
dom of the Wyndham Land Act and
! especially in reference to it's. practical
application. Mr.. O'Brien has been the
especial target of the opponents of
the measure. because to him more
than amy other Irish leader is due the
credit for accomplishing Il condition
OF affairs which made the law pos
slle He has spent his life in honest
and persistent effort to bring about
the social and political freedom of his
ly crowned with sudden and unex-
p"cted success. ut least Il large meal
sure of success This success led to
renewed attacks by all the factionists
in Ireland. Mr.. O'Brien is Il man of
extremely earnest and sincere temper
nment. He is also sensitive and some
What impulsive. His patriotism is. UNI
bounded. his honesty muuestiom,ble.
Doubtless. lie has been stllng by what
he justly regards as unfair and unjust
criticism. He says his patience has
been exhausted. His patriotism is so
lofty and his efforts so sincere that he
| is unable to bear the criticisms which
| to I, man of less sincerity would be
| considered the inevitable result of
participation in affairs political. But
| whatever may be Mr.. O'Brien's wishes
| in the matter. We believe that his love
of country will lead him to reconsider
| his reported intention of resigning
| AS we have often remarked before, we
still maintain that the greatest danger
to the home rule movement in Ireland,
| is Irish dissention. Never have the
| prospects for home rule been as bright
as they LOW are. 1t WAS the unfOr-
tulate split in the Irish party caused
by parnellS connection with the o..
Shea divorce ease which defeated Mr..
| Gli,dstone's second home rule bill. This
split SO weakened the Gladstone
forces that he had Il bare majority in
1892. II he had then had an over
whelning majority in the House OF
Commons. the House Of Lords would
not have been so quick to reject the
Hill. Neither would there have been i,
t'niOnist party. The Liberal Tnionists
would scarcely have given their aid to
ilAe opposition party if Mr.. Gladstone
was secure in power Without their aid.
To-day the Irish Nationalist party is
the only party i'll English politics
which is united ana stands Il solid
phalanN in support Of our policy which
IS first and above all other considera.
items. The present status of the Eng
fish parties gives almost certain as
surlnce that neither party will he
able to succeed lang without the :,.:t
of the Irish Nationalists. 1t is abso
lutely necessary that tie Irish remain
united. Mr.. O'Brien's- withdrawal
from public life is likely to lead to Il
renewal of the helpless and inert con-
tlition which characterized the Irish
party subsequent to the Parnell trou-
bic. Mr.. Balfour will need Irish as
siStance and. like Mr. Gladstone in
1856. will lie ready to pa; for it. But
if tile Irish are unable to take advan-
lase of the opportunity lccause CT
their own disagreementS the second
great opportunity for Home Rule will
he lost. and God only knows when
another will come. observation-disclosures
and friends of Ireland the world over
should use their influence toward help
ing to maintain the Irish party Intact.
Those who have been trying to force
Mr.. O'Brien out CT public life should
lie given to understand that their
methods will not be tolerated. The
Irish in America ought not to inter
fere in Irish politics where lrishnen
honestly differ and there are honest
grounds for difference of opinion. But
the Irish in America who have con
trihuted financial and other aid to the
Irish cause have Il right to demand
that trouble-mnlkers shall not be al
lowed to disrupt the party ut this crit
zeal time. The eyes of the world are
upon the present Irish Nationalist
party. The test may he severe, but
no person or persons or interests
should be allowed to stay the acluisi
ton of that upon which all Irishmen
are intent. Mr. O'Brien must not be
allowed to retire. He has been of i'll
estimable strength to the cause. Mr.
Redmond and the other leaders need
his sincere and powerful assistance.
1t is said that 10000 employees have
been dismissed from the railroads and