New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-21

Int Of Mrs. o'Shea's book--she still on
me title calls herself Katharine o'Shea
1 must say something. The book
stirred England and Ireland as no other
recent book has. When l read it |
,horsht, here for the first time is the
real Parnell; and. with respect to the
man himself in private life, that is true
7, is another and different Parnell:
unknown, unsupported, unacceptable,
vet beyond dispute the true image OF
the man himself. or Parnen the Irish
leader. the uncrowned King OF Ireland,
that cannot be said. On his public
career not very much light is thrown,
except as 20 his relations with air
Gladstone; not enough. st any, rate, to
alter the judgments of the world. or
The Judgment OF every one who has
known him and during the ten most
eventful years Of his public life studied
him and committed himself to an opin-
ion on his policy and methods.
II was at one time. my business 10
study him and 70 study Home Rule.
and to say in The Tribune what !
thought OF both. saw and heard him
al some Of the great crises of his po-
Utica, life. / have looked at what ]
then said and, find little or nothing to
alter in the light Of Mrs. Parnelrs dis
closures. AS judged the Irish leader
m 1856 and on his death in 1891, ]
bdge him still:
- great leader who. whatever his
faults. bad al least as much political
genius as any man of his time in Grea'
Britain or Ireland"
Concerning the uses to which he put
that genius opinions differed then. and
differ now But this may be said,
that Home Rule, with such measure OF
success as il has attained, is Parneil's
work Without him it would have re-
NAMED an aspirations; pious or other
wise, according to your point of view.
Let US offer him that tribute. 1t is the
one be would have liked best.
= Whether. if Mr.. Gladstone had not
flung Mr.. Parnell to the Noncontoriu-
ist wolves. a Home Rule Act would
have come sooner or in a more COM
plett shape than that which must
presently be placed on the Statute
Book. is matter Of mere guesswork.
The question is chiefly interesting FOR
the light it throws on Mr.. Gladstone's
character and his power Of estimating
political forces. The great Liberal
seems really to have believed that
what he had failed &c accomplish with
Mr Parnell's help he could still =
compllsh after he had thrown him
over. He had not thrown himself over
lie was still Prime Minister. AS in
1851 and in 1856, the loss of the great
colleagues whom he had driven from
him by his Irish policy. diminished
none Of his confidence. Mr. Bright had
left him, for a different reason, in
1852 The Duke Of Argyll, Mr.. Cham
berlain, Lord Harrington, Mr.. Goscher
who but Mr.. Gladstone would have
thought a Cabinet-any Cabinet-as
strong without men like these as with
them? But Mr.. Gladstone in his OWE
mind was the Cabinet. just as Mr.
Parnell. in his own mind and in fact
was the Irish party. So long as h:
himself CMr. Gladstone) stayed, it mat
tered not who went.
He was not, it is true, a free agent
The Nonconformist Conscience was his
political though not his religious mas
ter. Churchman though he was ana
the Church supreme, believing
and declaring again and again that the
Church more than the State was the
true expression of English life, he
dared not ALLEVIATE his Nonconformis'
supporters. They were the backbone
Of he Liberal party.
When once the O'Shea business had
come into and out of the divorce court
he had to choose between the Noncon-
formists and Parnell. He did not, anC
perhaps could not, choose Parnell. The
Irish themselves-the Irish party il
the House Of Commons-after the de-
cree Of divorce had been pronounced
had reelected Parnell their chairman
That was on. Nov lber %. 1890. Mex
day they knew that Mr.. Gladstone
who had shivered in the wind
strongly hoping to hold on to Parnell
had yield d to the clamor. Forthwith
they abandoned their leader.
Never had Parnell shown himself
more resolute than in the life and dealt
struggle which then began. He haC
always. or always until his allianc,
Win Mr.. Gladstone, led a forlorn hope
and led it by desperate methods. HI
had till then, at least a sporting chance
he had brought Parliament the Lib
eral party and Mr.. Gladstone himself
to their knees. Now he had no chance
OF any kind. The forlorn hope haC
ceased TO be a hope He took counse
only OF despair, yet never despaired
PAgainst him were not only the allies
whom he had reduced to obedience, the
Liberal party and its leader, but hi:
own party and the whole Roman Cath
Ollie hierarchy in Ireland and the priest
hood to a man. He fought them all
lie fought them not as one who mus
lose but who must win. For English
Opinion ne cared NOT a straw exceDt IN