The Irish standard., 1905-03-25

ana TO appeaSe them Wyndham was
thrown overheard after Sir Anthony
had been repudiated. In the explana-
tions offered in parliament Wyndham
did not appear to the best advantage,
but in the last analysis is was ap-
parent he was deliberately sacrificing
himself to give some measure of pro-
lection to his subordinate. 1t is Sig
nificant that at last accounts MacDon-
nell was Still in Office and also the
Earl of Dudley, lord lieutenant, who
publicly announced that everything
MacDonnell had done was after con-
sultation with him and his approval.
Everyone that knows the brilliant
George Wyndham will be sorry that his
most promising public career has thus
been cut short. I have every reason
to believe that he was working con-
scientiously, and with large view, for
the regeneration of Ireland. He told
me much of his plans, and they were
comprehensive and practical. They
aimed at restoring the land to the peo-
pie; then to give the Irish people q
voice in the management of their own
affairs-in the end, not all at once, by
gradual enlargement of their powers,
complete self-government in purely
Irish legislation and administration.
But for Wyndham and MacDonnell
there would never have been land
law such as is now slowly but surely
comforting it's blessings upon the coun>
try. But for them the home rule move
ment would not have attained the
headway it now has. Wyndham has
fallen by the wayside, and Balfour may
yet sacrifice MacDonnell, but the work
will go on.
For every Irishman, and for every
man who sympathizes with the Irish
people in their demand to be rid of the
odious bureaucracy which has Sc long
oppressed them-a bureaucracy which
should close the mouth of every Briton
who would scoff at Russia-there is
good sign in the sky. 1t is found in
the fact that the Irish Reform Asso-
citation movement for devolution Of
home rule promoted by MacDonnell
and supported by Dunraven and Dud-
ley, has not reused fifth part of the
opposition that might have been ex-
pected. Reports from England through
trustworthy channels are to the effect
that both political parties in the United
Kingdom are now looking with favor
upon the plan to give Ireland ra-
tional and modern government-a gov
ernment by the people themselves. A
majority of Englishmen no longer suf-
fer with sort of rabies when home
rule for Ireland is mentioned in their
presence. They are discovering at
last that it is useless to try to make
Englishmen out Of Irishmen, that it is
barbaric to go on trying to treat the
Irish as conquered race, that they
are not conquered race and never
can be, that in the higher civilization
which England boasts of representing
a country is never conquered till you
have won the hearts and affections of
it's people.
The sad part of the current episode
in Irish and English politics is that the
men who were trying their best to do
something for Ireland must be sacri-
feed because few Irishmen throw
stones at them.
But it is now believed the day is soon
coming when the good sense Of the
English will rise above schisms and
religious factions and look to the good
of Ireland as whole. Home rule may
come in year, or it may come in five
years. Our friends across the sea
move with slowness which is pro-
verbal, but it is coming.