Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-24
MUST NOT TRlFLE WITH
ASPIRATIONS OF PEOPLE
IRISH ENRAGED AT POLICY OF
MINISTER
Recent Events Stir Public FeeInu to
the Point of Evaporation,
Says Politician In
Address
BY TIMOTHY j. O'CONNOR

Special Cable to The Herald.
DUBLIN, May 23.-At a meeting this
week of the United Irish league in
North Galway, Richard Hazleton, NJ. P,
voiced the sentiments Of Ireland on the
new policy of Prime Minister Asquith,
that home rule must be deferred in
definitely.
Mr.. Hazleton was repeatedly cheered
and applauded and the people plainly
indicated they are for war on the new
government. Mr.. Hazleton said recent
events had stirred public feeling in Ire
land to the point of evaporation. That
fact was both an encouragement and a
danger. 1t was an encouragement be-
cause 1T showed that national Ireland
was keeping its powder dry, and that
it is impossible for any British govern
ment to trifie with impunity with the
aspirations of the Irish people,
1t was a danger because people in
such a mood were easily stirred to rash
and foolish courses. He was glad to
think, however, that the good sense of
Ireland was proof against the panic
mongering of the imitation yellow
press.
The cheap sensationalism to which
these people and their press had aban-
doned themselves seemed to demand
that when they had not split in Ire
land they must have crisis. Fortu-
nately, however, those who now sought
to provoke a crisis were as powerless
for serious mischief as were those who
failed to create split.
Betrayal of Home Rule
A great deal has been said within the
last few weeks about the betrayal of
home rule by the English liberals.
What were the facts of the situation
1t was clear from the recent debate in
parliament that, while the liberals were
in nf homo
were anxious if they could, in spite of
what Mr.. Churchill said in Manches-
ter, to shelve 1t or wipe 1t off the slate.
They would not introduce home rule
at present, and they would not guar
antee to propose it in the future. Taken
in conjunction with the accession of
Mr.. Asquith to the premiership, that
attitude on their part had created a
new position which Ireland had got to
face. 1t had produced feeling of pro-
found indignation I'm Ireland. but they
had no reason to be surprised or dis
mayed at it. They always knew that
whatever their views on the Irish queS-
ton might be, English politicians would
be guided by expediency in their actual
dealings with Ireland.
English politicians had their own in
| terests and the interests of their party
to consider, and they would always
place those interests before those OF
est craftsmanship; 1t might not even
be the soundest policy for themselves
but if the Irish people imagined that
| they We're going to proceed on any
other basis they were building on q
| foundation of sand.
| In their places Irishmen would prob
ably do the same, and for his part he
had no hesitation in saying that where
the interests of Ireland conflicted with
those of England he knew which side
he would choose. Parnell had said up
on an historic occasion: 81 know very
we'll what Sir William Harcourt will
do for you, and know what Mr.. Nor
| ley will do for you, and 1 know that
there is not a single one of the lot to
be trusted unless you trust yourselves"
That was not the expression of pass
| ing opinion. 1t was the assertion
of an enduring truth, which it was
! their first duty to keep before them In
their dealings with English statesmen
Right and justice, convincing argument
and sound reasoning were factors which
it was necessary to have upon their
side.
These had stood them in good stead
| in breaking down the old hatred and
! prejudice that existed for so long on
the Irish question, but without con-
crete driving force behind them those
things We're as faith without good
works. No better example of that could
be found than in the northwest Man.
chester election. Standing alone, those
things were factors that would have
| helped the Irish cause but little, but
with 500 Irish votes behind them they
had wrung from Winston Churchill
pledges which he would not otherwise
have given.