The Irish standard., 1903-10-17
AN IMPORTANT ELECTION.

AN IMPORTANT ELECTION.
Timothy Healy and his faction of
trouble-makers will get little consola-
ton from the result of the election to
fill the vacancy in Parliament from
South Meath. They nominated Mr.. J..
III. Parnell, a brother of the late
Charles Stewart Parnep, and doubt
less expected to win on the strength
of the name. The result WIS the cleo
ton of Mr.. Sheehy by over twelve
hundred majority. Mr.. Purncll went
before the people as an Independent
Nationalist and asked for the election
on the ground that it was his seat.
In 1900, when Il general election was
proclaimed. Mr.. John II. Tarnell was
the Irish Nationalist member from
South Meath. He then allowed the
seat to he lost through his own de-
fault. by failing to comply With the
requisites of the election law in case
of contested districts. All that time
he was Il recognized member of the
Nationalist party. At the election
just held he was the candidate of the
very men who caused him to be dis
placed in 1900. The real issue in
South Meath was whether or not Il
member who was in accord With the
present leadership of the Irish party
should be selected. or whether man
who recognized no leadership should
be elected. The small clique who are
opposing the leadership of Mr.. John
e. Redmond and the present pro-
gram of the party selected the COIL
stituency of South Meath as test for
their policy of discord In this con-
stituency it appears that the United
Irish League is not as we'll organized
as in most other places. The name of
the great Parnell was used for the
purpose of defeatin the regular cam
didate. Mr.. Shelby. The peculiar part
of the situation was that all the
staunch friends of Charles Stewart
Parnell We're supporting Mr. Sheehy
and opposing the brother of their for
mer great leader, while his enemies
and defamers We're supporting the
brother. Fortunately the decision of
the election was decisive in favor of
a United Irish party. 1t was most i'm
pOrtant that at this time the dis
ruptionists should not succeed in de-
feating candidate of the Irish party.
If they had succeeded they would be
encouraged to contest other seats held
by Irish Nationalist at the next gen.
eral election. which is confessedly
near at hand. Whatever has been ac-
complished for Ireland in the past
three years was the result of Irish
unity and organiZa ton. If the Irish
had not been splendidly organized and
disciplined and ably led the present
hook. If the Irish people are to at
tain the ends which now seem within
reach they must send to the House of
Commons a solid parliamentary party.
1t would he suicidal to return to the
strife and factiOnaliSm which prevail
cd during the years Immediately sue
cecding the fall of Parnell. The at
tcntion of the world is now upon Ire
land. Her enemies are striving to To-
ment diScOrd at home. so that the old
falschOod about Irish incapacity for
clf-govcrnmcnt may he reiterated.
During the last three years the Irish
people have demonstrated to the world
that they are capable of solving diff
ficult questions. Their leaders have
shown themselves to be not only bril-
liant but also temperate and conserva-
tive. There has been an absence of
petty iealousies in the Irish party
which is cOmmenlahlc. 1t is the duty
of the Irish people to return to private
life the last remnant of the trouble
makers. no matter how brilliant these
individuals may be. 1t looks very
much as if this will he done.