The Irish standard., 1912-05-18
T. P. O'Connor Praises the English
Premier's Fair and Generous
Treatment of Irish.
If the Home Rule Measure Lacks
Anything it is not Due to an
Undemocratic Spirit.
Asquith Has Gained Rather Than
Lost Prestige Since Home Rule
Negotiations Began.

II is a curious fact that it was net
until the negotiations on the Home
Rule bill that Mr.. Asquith had any
close and connected political or per-
Honal association with Mr.. Redmond.
Mr.. Asquith is typical Englishman,
still more a typical Yorkshireman in
almost an excess of shyness and re-
serve. l was reminded Of his attitude
and the attitude of many other Eng
lishInen to others and still more even
career Of Cardinal Newman, says +.
T.. O'Connor in the Chicago Tribune.
The cardinal was one of the warm
est hearted men that ever lived. He
clung to his friends with pathetio
fidelity and warmth of affection. Whan
Father Ambrose st. John, who has
been his conrade In the Anglican, and
afterwards in the oratory at Birming-
ham, died, Newman lay weeping OH
the floor for the whole night And
Vet 1t happened once that one Of his
priests was deeply concerned and even
wounded to find that Newman passed
him every day for weeks without q
word or even look, and his surprise
reached it's climax when the day hu
actually received communication
from Newman. although they lived in
the same house, expressing good will
and suggesting a question as to why
this priest seemed to be estranged
from him.
Mr.. Asquith is, of course too much
a man Of the world, he is always q
lawyer and a politician and not a
priest. to be capable of 80 much mis-
understanding. but he is essentially
the shy and reserved lInglishman, who
Is frankness and amiability itself to
those whom he knows and likes but
is distant to those who are unknown
personally and closely to him and
whom he may regard as without any
personal drawing towards him.
sS0'o"u TbOuo AUO u08oGV0Os
Mr.. Redmond had something of the
same temperament though of course,
as an Irishman he has more gregari-
ousncss and less shyness, but he also
has great deal Of pride and reserve,
and thus 1t was that these two dis
ungushed and important mon saw
much less Of each other during even
trying times than would have been to
tho interest Of the two powerful
forces Of which they are the leaders.
1t was one OF the by-products and
a very fine beneficent one too, that
Mr.. Asquith and Mr.. Redmond were
brought into close touch with each
other and therefore were able better
to understand each other. do not
know what arc the feelings of Mr..
Asquith, but l can speak for Mr.. Red
mond, as for the other Irish members,
who were in consultation with Mr.
Asquith, that there was no member
Of the cabinet who made a profound
er and more agreeable impression
upon them than MIR. Asquith. And
this impression was not merely as to
his intellectual supremacy, but as to
his kindness and even generosity OF
disposition. One Of Mr. Asquith's ad-
mirable gifts as a negotiator Is his
patience and his reticence. If ever he
had reached the high judicial ONCE
to which his eminency and gifts en-
titled him, he would have been a re-
markable contrast to many Of the
judges of the land. He would never
have either embarrassed or patronized
counsel by continual Interruption,
still less by the inane observations
that passed for judicial jokes. He
would have sat silent and patient
through hours. taking everything In,
and at the end. would in few terse
sentences. have stripped all the
lengthy discussions into their real
meaning and essential points. and
have delivered judgment remarkable
for its partiality, its lucidity and pene-
tration. So he is in political negotia.
ton. ,...
Shallow Criticism Of Asquith.
Some shallow critics have expressed
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