IRISH DISUNION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 447, 4 March 1909, Page 4

IRISH DISUNION.

a Recent cable messages would seem to indicate a more hopeless, state of disunion amongst Irish- Nationalists than has existed since the Parnellite "split" of somo seventeen years ago. That cffcrvesccnt and rather erratic leader of public opinion, Mn. Wm. O'Bkien, M.P., after being shouted down at a Nationalist Convention in Dublin, forthwith proceeded to found a rival organisation to the United Irish League, on his own native heather, Cork. Then again we learn that Me. Eugene Cbean, M.P., resenting tho conduct of his Parliamentary colleague, Mn. Joseph Devlin, at the Dublin meeting, has issued a summons against him for disorderly conduct under Loud Robert Cecil's Act of last year. What with two rival Nationalist organisations waging a fight in Parliament and in the country, and the Sinn Fein movement detaching a large number of militant adherents from both, the Nationalist forces would seem to bo in a position of complete disintegration; and the many units which Paknell had welded into a great cohesive force are now engaged frittering away their strength in internecine conflict. The spectacle presented is neither edifying nor hopeful for the future of Irish national aspirations. When those who desire self-government for Ireland are unable to agree on a common line of action, it seems futile to expect that their claims can receive a sympathetic hearing from the great masses of Englishmen and | Scotchmen whom they desire to convert to their views.

Me. Wm. O'Brien has played many parts in Irish politics during the past twenty-five years, aud whatever his eccentricities he is always a force to be reckoned with. After securing the expulsion of Mr. Tim Healy from the Nationalist party, aud vainly endeavouring to drive him from Parliament, we now find him in alliance with that gentleman, as well as with a number of more modorate Conservatives of the . Dunraven type, who are willing to concede most of the Irish demands short of a dissolution of the Act of Union. Whether the Rcdmondite, O'Brienitc, or Sinn Fein section gains the ascendancy," it appears perfectly clear that the Liberal party in its present state has not any immediate intention bf making Homo Rule the front plank in its platform at the-next General Election. Its leaders have shown little ambiguity on that point. To one roviowing tho position impartially from a distance, it seems deplorable this tragedy of a fine and fertile country constantly in the throes of agrarian strife, discontent, and disturbance, while the life-blood of its population is ebbing away in the direction of foreign lands. The remedial land legislation of the past fow years promised a large measure of relief and hope for the bulk of the agricultural population; but just when great and unforeseen difficulties tiro boing bridged over, and a sympathetic Chief Secretary

is doing his best to heal the aching wounds of past misgovcrnmcnt, wo find history repeating itself, and all intelligent efforts at amelioration being hampered and harassed by unseemly and fruitless squabbles and dissensions.