The Irish standard., 1914-01-24
HOME RULE FUND
100000 FOR 1918
List Though not Closed has Already
Surpassed all Former
Years
Outlook at Beginning Of 1914 is
Most Promising for Home
Rule Bill
Parliament to Open in February
Final Struggle for Passage of
Bill Begins

rlnal struggle Tor Passage of
Bill Begins
The subscriptions to the Home Rule
Fund acknowledged for the current
week amount to s1,198 odd, bringing
the total amount for the official year
1913, so far, up to 92O,21l odd. This is
certainly one of the most encouraging
and satisfactory facts in the Home
Rule situation. The Unionists have al.
legged, over and over again, that the
Irish people do not want Home Rule,
and that the proof of this was their re.
tusal to subscribe to the Home Rule
FUND. But, last year, the Irish people
SUBSIDIZED over 100000 to the Fund,
the largest annual subscription on rec.
ord in the history of the Irish move.
ment; and, this year, whilst there are
yet two months or so to run before the
lists close, the amount subscribed is in
excess of the total for 1912. And again
1T must be emphasized that these sub.
scrlptlons are not from, millionaire
brewers or distillers, or captains of in.
dustry, or land owners or mine own
ers, but from all classes and creeds of
the Irish people, and particularly from
the masses of the people in town and
country who. earn their bread by sweat
OF brain and brow. If blood be the
price OF nationality, the Irish have
made good their claim thousands of
times over in the past. And, now, II
gold, instead of blood, be the price.
the Irish have paid it ,jssS full meas.
ure and running over And let this
important fact be borne in mind, that
II tomorrow Mr.. John Redmond and
the Irish Party made special appeal
for double the amount subscribed so
far this year, it would be Forthcoming
with alacrity. 1t is an open secret
that the subscriptions would be far
larger and more numerous than thew
are' were it not that the people re.
gard the Home Rule struggle as nrac.
tically over.
But the fight is by no means over
yet. The Irish Party and the Irish
people are confident that the year 1914
will see the Home Rule Bill placed on
the Statute Book. But they are TAX
ing no risks. and are determined NOT
to abate one jot of their energy until
their cause has been won all out, The
magnificent unity and discipline of the
past six years in Ireland must be
maintained; the machinery of the Ma
tlonal Organization must be kent eff
clent, and ready for any emergency:
oy every means at their disposal, the
Irish people must keep on demonstrat,
ing their loyalty to the Party and their
determination in the cause; whilst
In Great Britain, the counter-campaign
of the Irish Party against the cam.
pa1gn of calumny financed by the
money-bags of the peers and the pluto
Gratis of the Tory Party, must be kent
going, at whatever cost. In a letter to
Mr.. John Fitzgerald, MP, Castlerea
County Roscommon, Mr.. John Red.
mond, MP, says:
ALLOW me to send YOU a line of
congratulation upon the very generous
contribution of Castlerea to the Home
Rule Fund. This is clear evidence not
only of the enthusiasm of the peop]e
for Home Rule, but their intelligent
appreciation Of the great work the
Party are engaged upon in meeting
and refuting the ISLANDERS of our on.
ponents in Great Britain. The anti.
Home Rule campaign in Great Britain
is costing our opponents at least so
per cent more than the answer is cost.
ing us. Still, the expenses of our
campaign are enormous, and it is en-.
couraging to find our supporters are
fully rising to the OCCASION"
We should imagine that Mr.. Red.
monds estimate of the cost of the
Unfonist Campaign is too modest.
The Unionists have almost literally
poured out money like water in this
last desperate effort to thwart the
hopes of Ireland and to wreck the
parliament Act. Let it not be forgot
ten that since the end of last session
they have cast aside every other issue
and concentrated their whole united
strength against Home Rule. Why,
when everything is considered, It is
doubtful If ever the Tory Party at.
tempted 80 colossal and expensive a
campaign as they have been wagine
for the past couple of years and more
against Ireland. Expense is nothing
to these people. II they could only &c,