The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-01-29
IRISH LEADER.

/ ~~@0---N'
Under the heading, Men of the Mo-
ment," the Westminster Gazette says:
1t has been said that no one can sue
| coed in the House of Commons who
does not possess indominitable courage
and perseverance. But more is needed
than mere physical energy to cut a fig
ure in the Talking Shop" at West
minister. One must, above all, have the
| gift of speech and the power of impress
ing the assembly with force and charac-
ter. For behind the spoken word, how
ever brilliant or apt it may be, mem
| bers look for the personality of the man,
shaping a policy to definite end. They
| look also for breadth of view and high
purpose in the leaders of parties, for
| a glimpse of that vision without which
people, as the Psalmist says must per
ish.
Mr. Redmond's speech in the House
of Commons may be taken as affording
test of these qualities which make for
mastery in an independent assembly.
His oratorical power is one of the most
precious possessions of the House, and
his persistence, courage and energy in
pursuit of a great ideal have long since
given him that commanding position
which belongs alone to men of charac-
ter
No one doubts that if he had chosen
any other career-that If, for instance,
he had gone to the Bar-he would have
been one of the leading advocates of his
day. Had he entered politics as mem
Der of either of the great parties he
would have attained position of emil
nence on the front bench. He might
have well hoped some day to be prime
minister of this country. But as
leader of the Irish party he can hope
for no emoluments or rewards beyond
the gratitude of his countrymen, and in
politics gratitude is a verifying quantity
that may altogether disappear before
the gust of popular passions.
The house. therefore, takes off its hat,
so to speak, when ii thinks of the leader
of the Irish party and his refusal to ac-
cept any of those rewards which other
men tumble over one another to win.
For an enduring name and fame as a
British statesman were undoubtedly
within Mr. Redmond's grasp had he
taken to the high road of politics. His
own road is, of course, the highest road
Of all for a patriotic Irishman, but it
is a road that few men would care to
tread who had any thought for their
own repose, or for the good things of
the political world
Members like to picture the leader of
the Irish party in classic toga, a strik-
ing Mark Antony attitude. For he is
one of the few men in the house who
suggest a Roman senator. There is
something almost imperial in his atti-
tude as he sits in his corner seat below
the gangway, with folded arms and
knitted brows, as one may see him on
an Irish night. He has sense of HUI
NOR, but has rarely, if ever, been known
to make a joke in the house, although
he is witty enough in conversation
His strength as a parliamentarian lies
in his just appreciation of the political
situation. If opportunity and occasion
are important in politics, he may be
said to be master in political science.
For he knows when to play the waiting
game and when to throw all his energy
and the disciplined fighting power of his
party in the political arena. He has
such control over the party that he
leads that for organization and disci-
pline and unity of purpose it has be-
come now the admiration of all parties.
And this is great feather in Mr. Red
mond's cap when one thinks of the tur-
mol and Schism that threatened his
leadership when he first took the reins
after the terrible debacle of committee
room No. Is. Those days of dissension
are happily long past, and there is
hardly man in the Irish party who
cannot be trusted to follow his leaders
nod.
In the meantime our Ulysses may ap-
pear to be nodding In another sense for
a time. But it is a period Of repose for
a stern battle in the near future. I'll Sc
recule pour mieux sauter." The turn of
the political wheel may easily bring him
once more near the enviable position
when the Nationalist hold, if not ac-
tually yet very clearly, the balance of
parties. This is the dream of the Irish
leader when he mods below the gang
way, and he instinctively rattles his
sword in its scabbard as he thinks of
the great times that are coming. For in
a sense his parliamentary career has
hardly more than begun, since he has
not yet had the opportunity that fell
to his predecessor of showing how he
can hold the balance of political power.