The Irish standard., 1910-02-12
NAT|0NAl|STS IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Not a Single Follower of
O'Brien or Healy to be Ad-
mitted to the Councils of
the Irish Party and Not a
Single One of Them to Get
a Shilling of the Parlia-
mentary Funds---O 'Brien
Can Pay the Factionists.

In his letter of last Sunday to the
Chicago Tribune anent the recent elec-
tions, Mr.. T. P. O'Connor says In part:
had an interview today with Win
ston Churchill. the only important
minister who has returned to London.
With characteristic picturesqueness
and courage he summed up the policy
of the minority in these words:
1--WE must march on the enemy's
guns"
These words admirably sum up the
whole temper of the Liberal party all
over the three kingdoms. The fight
against the house of lords must be
begun the moment the house of COM
mons meets and then pursued to the
bitter end, however long the struggle
may be.
The situation in the next house of
commons will be extraordinarily in
teresting. The Irish party will hold a
than it's wiser heads relish. Often it
will be in their power either to keep
in or to put out the ministry. There is
something fascinating, no doubt, in
having such omnipotence, especially
when one remembers all that Ireland
has suffered under majorities of both
English parties.
But it is more fascinating sthanAafe.
Therefis always q certain dislike of all
governments in ireland, and the crank,
who plays his usual part in Irish as in
other politics. dislikes the Liberal for
some inscrutable reason more than the
!. Tory.
The Liberal tries to do everything
conditions will allow him to for Ire
land, and as the Tory has no policy
for Ireland but blank, bitter refusal
of home rule, I find it difficult to un-
derstand this state of mind, but it ex-
lists.
have little doubt, then, that num-
will always be shouting out to the
Irish party to put out the government.
This shout will begin the moment the
new house of commons comes into be-
ing.
The first business of the govern
ment will be to pass the budget. The
in, nd
by factionists and cranks, by William
O'Brien and Tim Healy, as blasting
Ireland with an addition of two million
sterling year. The statement is, of
course, a lie, but it is the kind of lies
that some Irish people readily swal-
low.
An attempt will be made to hustle
Redmond and his party into opposing
the budget and defeating the govern
ment. I don't think Redmond has the
least intention of yielding to this
pressure It would mean, of course
that the campaign against the house
Of lords would come to an immediate
and ignominious end, and that in this
way the hopes of Ireland would once
more be blighted.
But, Of course, O'Brien and Healy
will speak to the gallery and denounce
the Liberal government and the Irish
party, and the Sim Feiners and all
other senseless factions will join ir
the cry. However, these people are
of no Importance; and they are less
important now than they were.
Redmond comes out of this election
with enormously increased power ant
prestige. He said himself at the be.
ginning of the general election tina
he would much sooner have his fol.
lowers reduced to seventy. loyal mer
than have the old disunited ranks
numbering eighty-two. His party will
be nearer eighty than seventy, and i
will be a united party.
One of the scandals and the weak
nesses of party which had with,
its ranks O'Brienites and Healyite
was that no meeting of the part!
could be regarded as private. TIL
worst enemies of the Irish party II
the press of England or Ireland coul'
get as good an account of what tool
place at the secret conclave of tn
Irish party as if they had a reporte
present.
There was another but more exas
psrating fact. The men who. unde