The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-10-23
DAILY NEWS LETTER
COSGROVE BROUGHT TO FORE AS IRISH POWER
 BY DEATH OF COLLINS
By DANIEL O'CONNELL International News Service Staff Cor
 PeSDOndent

By DANIEL O'CONNEIL International News Service Staff Cor respondent
 Dublin, Oct. 23.-The death of Mich
 ael Collins has led to the discovery of new power a&pidst the Irish people.
 Had Michael Collins lived he would
 have dominated the Provisional gov
 ernment and would undoubtedly have
 become head of the Free State at it's accession to power. William COSgraVe.,
 the retiring alderman, would probably
 have never been brought to light and
 his name would have gone down in
 Irish history along with hundreds of
 others who have been minor partici- pants in the centuries-old battle for fredom.
 But Michael Collins was killed and William Cosgrave was thrust into the
 foreground, again his wishes He was placed at the helm of a ship that seemed almost certain to- founder in heavy seas of civil war. Nearly three months have passed since Cos
 rave took over the reins of the Irish government and now his name must be placed alongside those of Collins, Grif1th, Parnell, O'Conneu and a score Of other leaders. He has stepped into the breach and he has stemmed the tide of rebellion. Cosgrave has dis played cool, stern Judgment. His methods have not been spectacular, but they have been effective. This retir- ing, thin and tired man must go down as great IriShman. He has become a leader when it seemed that the Irish people were leaderless, and he has become a great leader. It is true that Cosgrave is not yet out of the woods, but if he continues as he has commenced he must be recorded as one of the worlds great satesmen Surely no modern statesman has faced greater difficulty than Cosgrave-the difficulty of ruling a nation and steer ing 1t toward progress against almost overwhelming waves of internal dis cord and diSSenSiOn
 Life in the Free State army isn't all glamor, brass buttons and gleam- ing guns. It's a life of danger, for no war was ever before fought from be- hind stone walls and hedges as the civil war is being fought. Irregulars snipe from roof tops and from behind corners. They fire on shot and run; taking up a new position, they fire again and change their position. Bombs are dropped from roof tops on ous life in the Irish Free State army | No one can say these Irish soldiers | are in the war business for the money. | A brigadier-genera1 draws only $25 | a week, and a private soldier about 0 | cents a day.
 The proceedings of the Dail have uncovered some new Irish orators, 1 and an not the least of these is General Richard Mulcahy commander-fn- chief of the army and successor to Michael Collins. Mulcahy has again and again stirred the Dali by his req soned and fervid debating. He has dropped all of the manners of the cir GUS orator and has given measure of himself publicly. His calm delib- crate speeches have lacked the i'm passion of the usual Irish oratory: fine rhethoric and f1owery phrases he 1as cast aside. Mulcahy still mourns Michael Collins, and the mourning note in his speeches has given his pleas a II earnest tone which has made them most persuasive. Mulcahy has shown himself not alone soldier but a 
 The irregulars have laid the ghost