The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-04-27
POLITICS OF JUSTIN MCCARTHY
Human Kindness Won For Him
Where Others Failed

Human Kindness Won FOR Him
Where Others Failed
Though the best speaking to be
heard in the House of Commons is
provided to a disproportionate degree
by the Irish members, it has an odd
ly temperamental quality that re-
fleets the idiosyncrasies of the speak
er rather than the policies of the
group TO which he is supposed TO be-
long Factions have always abound
ed in the Irish Parliamentary party.
because of this general declination
to surrender individuality and Par
nell alone could weld them and drive
them The late Justin Mccarthy was
perhaps the only man besides Parnell
who was acceptable to them all and
he won that distinction, not by his
power to command, but by his gift
of human kindness. 1t was inevita-
Bile therefore, that when Parnell was
deposed, Mr. Mccarthy who had
been elected to Parliament in 1879 as
one of the little coterie of Parnells
seven supporters and had become
vice chairman, should be chosen TO
lead in Parnelrs place. That he
proved an inefficient leader is to be
attributed as much to his surround
ngs and his followers as to his own
easy-going disposition.
Curious anomalies abound in the
mans political history. AS the lead
er-writer for the Daily News he pro
vided the gospel by which Liberals
guided their footsteps. while as a
Liberal and Home Ruler-the con
junction being significant-he was
abetting in the House attacks upon
Mr.. Gradstones best beloved meas
ures. The only speech of his that
students OF Parliamentary oratory
agree TO pronounce a great effort was
that in defence of Parnell, yet, wher
the majority of the party agreed tC
I reject Parnell. Mr. Mccarthy accept
ed the Craftsmanship in his place
being rewarded by Parnell with the
observation that he, Mccarthy, wa:
"a nice old gentleman to adorn &
| tea.party" OF course Mr. Gladstone
( had by this time"come over" tC
Home Rule, and one of his motives
/ for destroying Parnell was unwilling
ness to brook a rival near his throne
/ but for five years the Irish party, OIL
I the bulk of il, trailed along after Mr.
/ Gladstone and got no thanks for 1t
/ In 1895 however, Mr., Mccarthy plan
ned a coup detat and announced
that he and his would assist the con
servative scheme of denominations
education. Had the policy thus indi
/ Gated been framed and maintained
years earier-the willingness {,
trade a quid for a quo-the course 0
urably advanced But the fash o
insight came too late. and Mr. Nc
Carthy's pronouncement was delaye,
until some of his strongest support
ers had committed themselves in OF
position He retired from the leader
ship in the following January, afte
having thus established another fac
ton. and in 1900 he terminated hi
parliamentary career,
In short, Mccarthy as a politician
was not successful because the gift
that fit man to adorn literature ar
Numerically opposed to the arts 0
the politician He would not cor
sent, If he knew it, to befog an issu
or bamboozle an audience. and h
was inherently so sincere that whel
he tried to be diplomatic-th al
tempt being utterly foreign to tn
mans nature-he merely conyeye
the impression of duplicity. When !
came to oratory, he singularly lacke
the big bow-wow manner that Away
impresses fools. And he could no
be a master at management becaus
leader sometimes needs to exercis
brutality'which was abhorrent {