The Irish standard., 1910-01-22


on measures. they neglect that which
is more important, more vital, and
more true than any measure-namely.
the living men and healthy women Of
Ireland. The. Parliamentarians are
stealing away the Irish mind; they are
trying to chain the soul of Kathleen nj
Houlihan to the lobby Of the British
House Of Commons. The aim of Sim
Fem Is to prevent this; to force the
nation to examine her conscience that
she may know whittier she is drifting,
and whether in truth she knows her
own mind. The motto of Home Rule
Is: "The land for the people" That of
Sim Fem: 1.-THE people for the land"
Let US save the people, they cry out,
and the land will save itself; for it is
but a dead thing.
Ill fares the land, to Fastening ills
a prey, ..,
Where wealth accumulates, but men
decay"
They cannot save the people withou
keeping them at home; and hence they
are .making strenuous-and so far sue
cessful-efforts to create and to build
up native industries.
y Now let us approach our subject q
little more closely, and ask: Can a
true Sim Feiner be a true Parliament
tartan? And the answer is: No. be-
cause their aims are entirely different
Inc aim of Sim Fein is complete ma
tional independence, worked out
through the rousing of the national
consciousness and the consequent sense
OF individual responsibility as a citi-
zen. The aim of Observation-Disclosures
is the amelioration of the material con-
dltion of the people. Parliamentarian-
ism has. in our day, degenerated into
squalid struggle for existence. Its
aim Is to keep the wolf from the door,
ana having done so, to allow the peo-
pie to sleep on forever in their chains.
It the efforts of the Parliamentary par
~ were directed to the attainment of
the grand ideal of national indepen-
dence, through the instrumentality of
Home Rule, all true Irishmen would
be bound in justice to support it. Rut
these efforts are not so directed. We
have the testimony of our "matchless
leader" to that effect. "Separation.
says Mt. Redmond, "is impossible. and
If possible, is not desirable" And
again: I'VE want the power of lesis-
lation on purely Irish affairs" ETC.. etc.
Subject to the supreme authority Of
the Imperial Parliament"
Home Rule, therefore, as enunciatea
and understood today, is not a step to
Nationhood. 1t is the reputation of
the principle Of Nationality, and the
determination on the part of all con-
cerned to settle down prosperous and
contented subjects of the British EN-
pire. Hence Home Rulers are rightly
called West Britons, and the Sim
serve the title of lrishmen.
But now comes the further question:
Does the leader Of the present Parlia-
mentary party express the views of
the Irish nation? Aye, there's the rub.
f. he does, then he is true leader.
and deserves every support; if he does
not, he should step aside and allow
some diviner man to voice the senti-
ments of our unconquerable race. We
shrewdly suspect that Mr.. Redmond
does not define the aspirations of the
ancient Irish nation, and that for three
reasons. First, because even his sup
porters on this side do not looN -.oon
Home Rule as final settlement of the
Irish question. Secondly, because the
Sim Feiners and Clan-na-(;ael (who
are Irish to their hearts core) do not
accept Mr.. Redmond's definition of
Home Rule. Thirdly, because even the
English people do not believe him. In
an able speech delivered by him re-
Gently in Cumberland, England, Mr..
Redmond admitted the fact that the
English are opposed to Home Rule.
and that their opposition to it arises
from Vague distrust Of the Irish peo-
ple." And there you are, saws Mr..
Dooley' Can the leopard change his
spots or the Ethiopian his skin? Doth
not the fox fear for his prey and the
robber for his loot? The averaee
Englishman may be knave: but he
is not fool. He is too wise to be led
away by Mr.. Redmond's f1owery prom
Uses. Qu'oth he: 1.-TWO can play at
that game, and so far have always
swept. the stakes" Sir John Bull knows
better than General Redmond what are
the aspirations of the Kelt. Mr.. Bal
four, the Unionist leader, said in a
public speech only few days ago:
The more Home Rule is understood