New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-12
Blu Charles johnston

rersistent applicants for government. 'ooS.
Which makes it pertinent "
whence they are getting their money 90
Germany, as we know, paid hunui ,,: -
thousands of dollars TO fomen' reDe'iS ~ =
India. Has she been niggardiy to"stu NJ
Sim Feiners? While in THIS COUNT -.
O'Connor could, without doubt oo'a." .i...
information; he will render genuine 80
~ the cause he has at heart by uo.hs ~
and publishing broadcast the I'M -" 49,,
Meanwhile we can only be gra'eiui .
FOR telling US exactly what constitutes 9
dreamer" in Sim Fem circles.
Emotional Facts
have already alluded to Mr.. O'Connor
era rresentment Of Ireland's present iargo
nrosnoritv. Let me quote little more'
10 belned TO carry all the measures WHEN
have created the new Ireland. what IS inc
VOW, Ireland? Three hundred thousand heaos
of families. absolute owners OF their lahos
the landlord gone; the bailif gone; the REM
warmer cone-cven the rent ONCE gone;
The country is prosperihe anu
craving more prosperous. Everywhere
throughout the land there is smiling evidence
~ the change that has been erected oy inc
persistent, determined and united efforts o!
the Irish representatives in the House OF
Commons" b,,.
That is a charming view of the facts; ou'
il also is what one calls an emotional view
selectye presentation of what actuaiIy
happened ,,.o,,,.
The first step in the creation Of this really
splendid peasant proprietorship IN ireland
was taken in 1859, when Gladstone, tnen a
convinced Unionist, in disestablishing the
Church of ireland introduced the principle
Of land-purchase by the tenant. The second
step was taken, again by Gladstone, sun
Unionist, in his land act OF 1881. Does Mr.
OConnor remember how his leader, Parnel
voted on that occasion? He refused to sup
mort the bill and walked out OF the House OF
Commons; which was of course, one way OF
helping" The third step was taken by the
Unionist Land Purchase act OF 1858, Vol
lowed by Balfour's Unionst Land Purchase
acts of 1888 and 1891. The greatest step OF
all was taken by Wyndham's Land Purchase
act Of 1903. Mr.. OConnor, of course, knows
perfectly we'll that each of these steps was
made possible by the most generous use oil
England's credit But in his eloquent mes
sage he saws net a word concerning that
side of the transaction. This one-sded
emotional statement of facts is not the real
way of reconciliation. Let us have the whole
truth. If we ask for justice to Ireland, let
us set a good example by showing justice to
England also.
The Rebellion
We come now TO the Sim Fem rebellion
and Mr.. O'Connor's account of that. Again
Mr.. O'Connor writes with real eloquence
ireland had offered her heart and her hand
to England at the beginning of the war. Her
sons rushed to the flag by thousands They
did so to the accompaniment of bands with
their parish priests and their local leaders
at their heads. What golden opportunity to
obtain the support OF those gallant Irish
arms at the sorest hour of need in the ex-
istence of the British Empire .
What a tragedy it is that all this good work
of reconciliation which had been accom-
plshed by the best men of England and Ire
land should have been destroyed by the folly
of English reactionaries and Of Irish
dreamers.
Here Mr.. O'Connor gives us three events,
seemingly in order: First, the generous offer
by Ireland of her heart and hand TO Eng
land: next "the folly Of English reaction
aries; third, "the folly of Irish dreamers.'
Mr.. O'Connor repeatedly puts these three
events in this order, each time giving the
appearance that ''the folly of English re-
actionaries' had checked the offer of Ire
lends heart and hand and lost golden OPP
portunity for reconciliation.
Let US examine these three events in the
order in which they really happened.
Let me not for moment seem to under
rate the valor, the splendid solderly quail
ties, of the Irishmen who are fighting. or