The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1905-09-23

airy party in the House, who, upon the
great issue of the hour, represented
their views, and was not afraid of
giving them free, full and bold ex-
preston in debate. Hence, while NOM
inally only the leader of the Irish Ma
tional party, Mr.. Redmond was really,
at that time, the only leader of the
opposition to the government in the
country.
Mr.. John Redmond is the first Irish
leader who has given the world any
token of the possession of the quail
ties which made Mr.. Parnell so fa-
nous. It is true that his position is
largely due to Mr.. Dillon. But he is
fortunate in having in Mr.. Dillon a
colleague who was, in other days, suf-
ficiently self-sacrificing to allow no
personal feelings to stand in the way
Of attaining the great object which he
had set before him. ..s
When "Tiger Tim" was read out of
the party with bell, book and candle,
the Irish parliamentarans became
once more fighting unit. Mr.. Red
,, mond, then being called to supreme
, command, displayed qualities with
, which he had hitherto not been cred
tied. His readiness in debate, his
self-control, his keen appreciation of
the vital points in parliamentary
-, strategy speedily made him power.
One of the greatest of our imperial
statesmen, who watched the proceed
/ ings in the parliamentary arena from
the distant post in which he was serv-
/ ing the empire, declared, four years
/, ago, that in his opinion Mr.. Redmond
was the ablest parliamentarian in the
, present House of Commons.
Mr.. Redmond is politician first, a
politician second, and politician
third. AS an individual entity he is
almost unknown to any except his
/, intimates. But he has brought keen
intelligence to the study of the SCI
ence of politics. He has given his
mind to it, and spent days and nights
| in acquiring knowledge of all the
! niceties and rules of parliamentary
procedure.
He is embarrassed by no fear Of
mutinies in the rear, and he is con-
scious of being armed with the man
date of the Irish race. AS speaker
he is effective, fluent and eloquent
Incongruous though it may appear
to some unrefective persons it is
clear enough that the only possible
imperialism which can keep the en-
plre together is Imperialism of the
Home Rule stripe. Imperialism Of
the John Bull lingo strain would
wreck the empire. The homage paid
by the colonial premiers in coronation
year to the Irish Nationalist leaders
was significant. Nor is Mr.. Redmond
without strong imperialist strain in
his blood. AS Mr.. w. M. Crook, for
merly editor of the Echo, wrote me in
1901:
when I first met Mr.. Redmond I
was more or less of a separatist. He
made me an imperialist. I do not use
I that word to designate an admirer OF
the gorgeous orientalism Of Benjamin
Disraeli, nor yet follower Of the mar
rowly insular policy of an uneducated
Birmingham tradesman. John Red
mond knew the empire. His wife was
an Australian, and even when l first
met him he had been round the world.
"The great free communications
ada, Australia, New Zealand-even
the United States-were to him, in
large part, Irish states. Irish brains
and Irish blood had helped them to
freedom and to prosperity. It was a
new point of view for me. do not
speak with authority on this point,
but l do say with some confidence
that never, while John Redmond is
leader, will the Irish party consent
to be deprived Of their rightful share
in the government Of their empire.
Fifty years hence 1t will not seem, as
It does today, the language Of friendly
exaggeration to write: Politically,