The Irish standard., 1905-07-15

THE IRISH
O'Brien gave his support to the Dun
raven scheme of devolution. He evi
4ently thinks that Ireland should &C
cept reform step by step and in thi:
way climb the ladder to ultimate free
dom. He has advocated the accept
ance of any and all aid whether prof
fered by Irish landlords or by the Eng
lish parliament. He has even advocated
union between the Irish Parliamen
tary party and the Tory government
whenever it seemed possible to gair
aid for the suffering farmers of Ire
land. Because of his willingness tc
accept small reforms he has been in a
great measure abused by some of his
colleagues and by the Irish press
which has interpreted his position as
inimical to Home Rule. This differ
ence of opinion between Mr.. O'Brien
and other leaders of the Parliamen
tary party, which at first seemed but
the difference of opinion of strons
men, has now taken on the form of
dissension.
We cannot believe that Mr.. O'Brien
who has spent his life in unselfish
efforts in behalf of his fellow-country,
men, will now lend his strong person.
ality to an effort to disrupt the Parlia.
mentary party. He has shown before
that he could, in the face of abuse,
meekly step aside for the sake of his
country. We believe that when he
realizes that he and the other lead.
ers of the party have arrived at the
parting of the ways that he will again
step aside rather than to do what the
common enemies of Ireland have been
unable to do: to break up the Irish
party in parliament.
There would appear so far to i'm.
partial observers to be no reason for
a Home Ruler than he ever was. In
fact it might easily be inferred that
Mr.. O'Brien, in the wisdom of his old
er days, has concluded that it is bet
ter for Ireland to take whatever meas
ure of reform that it may be possible
for her to get rather than to wait and
fight for complete Home Rule at one
stroke. If this is his position, certain,
ly there can be no basis for charging
him with disloyalty. On the other
hand, it may be that he is wiser than
his colleagues.
But while all this is true there can
be no possible reason for Mr.. O'Brien
to carry on his opposition to the Irish
Parliamentary party nor to allow per-
sonalities to cause a revolt in that
body. 1t is necessary that there should
be union in it's ranks. Difference OF
opinion as to what road to travel to.
ward Home Rule should not allow fac
tionalism, for if factionalism again be-
comes prevalent it is certain that all
kinds of reform in Ireland will be in
definitely delayed. Mr.. O'Brien is a
strong man, and among men of strong
character there needs always be diff
ferences of opinion. Strong men have
convictions of their own which some
times makes it hard for them to sub
init to the dictation of others. Will
liam O'Brien has at a very recent date
stated that it was not his intention to
appeal to the people of ireland to sup
port him in his contention against the
other Irish leaders. The friends of
Ireland in this country are glad to
know that he does not intend to do so,
for no man in all Ireland knows how
to get the people with him better than
he. Already the city and county of
Cork have shown their preference for
him as against the other Irish leaders
and their policies. A majority of the
Irish Parliamentary party, however,
are against Mr.. O'Brien, and the ma
jority should rule. 1t seems, therefore,
that it is time for Mr.. O'Brien to
showhis greatness by once again yield.
ing in the interests of his country.
Few men have made greater sacrifices
than he for the Irish people, and none
are better beloved. We confidently
hope that he will not turn the great
power which he possesses against his
party, for should he do so dissension
would surely follow and another para
lysis of the Parliamentary party, from
which it might not recover for a gen
Grafton. People on this side of the
Atlantic are lool.ing once more to
ward William O'Br;en and hoping with
confidence that he will once agair
show his greatness by yielding his per
sonal feelings and opinions in favor o
union, even though such yielding shall
result in the utter abandonment of his
campaign in favor of the Land Act.
THE CHURCH IN FRANCE.
The Concordat which for centur,
has regulated the relation of th
Church to the French government ha
haon ohO1iShad TT is panara1lv I'm