The Irish standard., 1909-11-06

generously responded to the appeal of
John E. Redmond for the snews OF
war in the forthcoming election, and
before his departure for home T. =.
O,Connor will have received some $780,
900 to carry on the fight for Irish par
liamentary independence.
The organ of Sim Feinism in New
York, which is edited by an old Fenian.
and supported by honest believers in
physical force who think that 10
1rishman should go to the British par
lament to obtain Home Rule or any,
thing else for Ireland, has devoted col
umn after column to the abuse of T.
P. O'Connor and the cause he repre-
sents. 1t charges the Irish party with
writer's of the Dublin Freemans Jour-
nal, the Evening Telegraph and Bel
fast Morning News, which advocate
Home Rule, have accepted positions
from the British government in Ire.
land. Why should the Irish party be
held responsible for what newspaper
writer's do? Why should not Richard
Adams, P. ]. Kelly, John G. McSween-
ey, Maurice Cosgrove, Edward H. En-
mis-. Matthias Mcdonnell Bodkin and
George McSweeney, who have been
brilliant writers on small salaries, ac-
cept lucrative appointments from the
British crown? Not one of them has
ever been in parliament and though
they wrote for Nationalist papers they
never took pledge to neither ask nor
accept Office from the government
That pledge is required of parliament
tary members only. and to the ever
lasting credit of the Irish party, not &
member OF it while serving at West
minister has ever accepted a position
from Liberal or Tory.
In the days of O'Connell, members
of the Irish party like Richard Labor
Shiel accepted positions from the gov
eminent, but under Parnell and Red
mond that has not been the case,
though many of the members are COM
petent to fill any position in the gift
of a British ministry. Timothy NJ.
Healy is a noted lawyer and could
have had positions on the bench years
ago if he had proved false to his
pledge; but unpledged Irishmen who
use their pens for a livelihood are at
liberty to accept any Office at the Dis
posal of the government without at
taching blame to the Irish party to
which they have never belonged. Bet.
ter that they should have them rather
than Englishmen and scotchmen.
The new organ of the Sim Feiners
in Dublin is on a par with the Gaelic
American of New York and uses fall
lacious arguments to bolster up it's
opinions. 1t started it's career under
false pretenses. 1t claimed that it's
main object was to revive the lost and
dropping industries of Ireland, but in :.
stead of that it is incessantly finding
fault with John E. Redmond and at
lacking Home Rule principles. We
understand that Sim Fein will advo-
cate opposition to the Home Rule
members at the next election and sug-
sest that their seats be contested by
Sim Fein candidates. II that is so,
hat &c l4 4I,i
for parliament on the Sim Fein ticket
he was badly defeated by the Nation
alist candidate in district where ]le
was we'll known The object apparent
ly is to aid the Tories in close con-
stituencies like West Belfast and elect
the enemies of Ireland to parliament.
That does not appear a patriotic thing
to do on the part of this new organ
The question arises: Is not Sim Fem
published in the interest of England
to keep the Irish people divided?
What does Sim Fein expect to ac-
complish by it's opposition to the Irish
party, which is sustained by the over
whelming majority of the Irish people
at home and abroad?
The Sim Feiners favor the retire.
ment of the Nationalist members from
Westminster. If they withdrew in a
body Ireland, would still be entitled to
1903 members in the British assembly,
and Tories and Orangemen would pe
elected to fill the vacancies. How
would the Sim Feiners like Ireland
to be represented in parliament Nv
members Of the British garrison? But
they say, the retired Irish Nationalist
can meet in Dublin and legislate for
Ireland better than at Westminster.
They would not be permitted to do so.
An arms and disturbance act would
soon be passed in London to dispense
any illegal assembly in Dublin. What
ever be the views Of the Sim Feiners
as to the policy pursued by Irish rep
resentatives at Westminster the time