The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-05-13
FORMER IRISH N. P. SAYS De
FACT0G0vE RNMENT AIMED
ST. LOUISAN WHO RESIDED IN IRELAND UNTIL 1912 AND
WAS ACTIVE LEADER IN MOVEMENT RESIGNS FROM
HOUSE OF COMMONS TO AID cAUsE-REcoUNTs HIS
TORY OF ORGANIZATION

celebrated Patriot Parliament of Graf
tan maintained for eighteen glorious
years, the national independence of
Ireland. In 1901, the Act Of Union
was passed, destroying the Irish Par
lament, but strange to say the Re-
nunciation Act, guaranteeing Ireland's
independence for all time, was never
repealed. Furthermore, Griffith ably
maintained that the Irish Parliament, 4.
which consented to the union with
England, exceeded its authority in so
Of the Union days, Lord Chancellor
Plunkett, who declared that the Act Of
Union was nullity, which no man in
Ireland was bound to obey. Fortified
with these historical claims, Griffith
declared that the Irish Parliament had
never been legally dissolved, and that
in restoring it to active life, Irishmen
were acting within the constitution
guaranteed them by their pact with
England.
Passive Resistance Policy.
| But, of course, it was felt that the
establishment of this de facto govern
ment must be linked with an agrees
sive anti-English policy, and, again
following the example of Hungary I'M
der the guidance OF Franz Deak, Grit.
fifth proposed policy of passive resist
ance. Not alone was the authority of
! the British Government to be ignored,
not alone were it's instruments to be
boycotted, but an effort was to be
made to make the government of Ire
land by England q futile and profitless
task. This was to be done on the one
hand by refusing to contribute to the
taxes needed for the upkeep of the
Irish government, and on the other
hand by boycotting British-made
goods. Regarding the refusal to pay
taxes, Griffith pointed out that all that
was needed was united effort by the
Irish people.
The great LUX of the revenue col
lected in Ireland by the British Gov
eminent, amounting at that time to
$50,00O,000, was collected by means of
indirect taxation, taxes being imposed
on such commodities as wine and spir-
it's, tobacco, tea and coffee. BY alb.
staining altogether from the use of
these commodities, more than half of
the revenues derived from Ireland by
England would be cut off. The boy
colt of Britishmade goods, it was
pointed out, would have two-fold ef-
feet. 1t would deprive English manu-
| facturers of q considerable market,
and 1t would stimulate the develop.
ment of native industries in Ireland.
or course, the development of new in
dustries would require capital and
capitalists arc naturally shy about in
vesting under such circumstances as
Griffith proposed, but reliance was
placed on the patriotism of wealthy
Irishmen and Irish-Americans, and it
was pointed out, too, that by co-opera-
tive means, a considerable amount Of
capital could be raised.
Shortly after the Sim Fein policy
was promulgated was elected to rep
resent the constituency of North Lei
trim in the British House of Com
mons. An opportunity did not offer
to give careful consideration to Crit
fiths proposals for several months
Iof 7 ho1 fo1y h,,k
as had given them careful study I
felt that they presented many valua-
BILE features.
Determines to Resign.
Strange to say, the proposal that i'm
pressed me most of all was that Irish
members should refuse to sit in the
British House of Commons; and yet
perhaps it was not strange that an
Irish member should feel that way,
for one Could not help realizing the
impotence of the Irish parliamentary
party, out-voted, z to 1, and also the
demoralizing effect on the national
movement, Of the presence of Irish
men in the British Parliament, I felt
very strongly that our presence there
was an implied recognition of Eng
lands right to make laws for Ireland,
and that before we could successfully
battle for our own rights we must
first repudiate England's usurped
rights. Accordingly, determined to
resign my seat and seek reelection on
the Sim Fein platform. knew that
could not expect to succeed against
the opposition Of the whole Redmond
political machine, but wanted to
bring the new policy prominently be-
fore the people.
Indeed, It might seem that there
was no real reason why we should
have had to face the opposition Of the
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