The Irish standard., 1913-05-03
WILL PROVE A RECORD
YEAR IN IRELAND
Splendid National Spirit Prevailing
in Every Part of the
Country.
Liberal Response to the Recent
Appeal Made in Behalf of
Home Rule Fund.
The Steady, Consistent Support
Given by the British Elector-
ate is Remarkable.

ate is Remarkable.
1t is the prevailing opinion in tho
national circles in tho Irish capital
that this year of 1918 will be Il record
one for the national cause Never in
the country's history have there been
SO many and impressive signs Of vir-
lie, active national spirit as; arc to be
found on every hand and in every
,, part of the country just at this time.
One Of the most significant in
,, stances Of this is to be found in the
splendid response made in Dublin the
/ other day to the call for q repcnish-
ment of the Home Rule fund. The
answer of the people Of Dublin was Il
grand outpouring and tho generous
popular contribution Of nearly $1,000.
That there is great need for this
fund is known to all who have any
understanding of the situation in Ire
land, and that the response has been
so prompt and generous is most en-
couraging to all who have the cause
at heart.
Particularly is it necessary that this
fund should be kept up at full strength
during this year especially. The main
point that is being borne fn mind by
the Irish people is that while the
Home Rule bill is waiting for the au-
tomato action OF the parliament act
to make it tho law of the land, the
opponents Of our cause, whether they
be Irish Orangemen fighting for the
! maintenance of an anomalous, unjust
and tyrannous religious political as
cendancy. or English Tories waging
! their accustomed war against a. poplI-
lar reform demanded by Il great
democracy, will continue TO fight most
bitterly against our cause. They will
not regard their campaign as utterly
forlorn until the Kings sign manual
has been affixed to the treaty of peace
between the two nations. They can
! not even still bring themselves to be-
lieve that Home Rule for ireland is
| inevitable; they cling to their fondcst
and vainest delusions; they are all on
the alert for something, goodness only
knows what, to turn up to prevent the
| realization OF Irish hopes and ambi-
tions. Therefore they will maintain
their vicious work in the British con-
stitucnclcs. We have had too many
| examples. too much experience, in the
| past to have any manner of doubt
what kind and how viciOusly malig-
nant that work Of theirs will be. We
know precisely what form it will take.
They will set themselves to libel one
cause, and people, and leaders, right.
left and center; they will dclugc
Great Britain with foul slanderous
literature: they will circulate the most
| atrocious lies and libels through the
medium of the amcnablc portion OF
the press; they will send hordcs Of
brazcn faced, mcndacious speakers to
stump the country and corrupt the
British ear against the Home Rule bill
and the Liberal government.
And all this in the hope that they
may scare the timid and poison away
the more robust support hitherto Civ
en- to the Irish policy of the Govern
ment.
Remarkable Support of the British
Electorate.
Now, nothing has been more re-
markable in the modern history Of
British and Irish politics than the cx-
traordinariy steady and unintcrrupt-
edly consistent support given by the
masses Of the British people for sew
eral years past to that Irish policy.
Successive general elections have
shown that the Liberal majority is
| sure and certain as things stand. This
fact has been more than emphasized
by the by-elections. In fact, the gov
crnment's record, SO far as elections,
whether general elections or by-clec-
tions, has been unique. Not a single
ray of hope has come to the Union
lists from the many by-elections that
have taken place. There was time
not SO long back, when they were ac-
customed to hope and pray for u Sc