MAN OF THE HOUR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14349, 15 November 1910, Page 3

MAN OF THE HOUR.

JOHN REDMOND M.P. WHO HOLDS PARLIAMENT '-IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND." Mr John Redmond, the Irish Nation, alisfc leader who, according to "Tile Times,'' holds Mr Asquith's government in the hollow of Ils hand, is' a man of striking personality who has had a remarkable career. He is the eldest son of the lata William Archer Redmond, member for Wexford from ISi2 to ISSO. Mr Redmond was born m ISO 6 and educated at Clongowes Wood College and Trinity College, Dublin. At an early age he entered 'Uie civil service and was for some yean- a clerk in the vuty -oftice of tlie House .of Commons. Here it was thai, iiu first attracted Mr Parnell't; attention, and the Irish leader quickly found hint a .seal for New Koxx and made him a member of his famous lighting party of the early 'BO3. Mr Redmond's experiences since include .su.sp-on.-iious in tlie House of Commons and imprisonment in Ireland, such as h.ivc fallen to the lot of many of the Irish representatives. 11l 1880. although elected for North Wexford, he fought Hid Kirkdale division, of Liverpool as a home ruler and v-ory nearly captured tlie seat. He snt for North Wexford until October, when he resigned to contest the Cork constiuency on the death of Mr Parncll. He was unsuc-. cessful in Cork, but the following mouth was elected for Wntcrford City, .for which he still sits. VISITS AUSTRALIA.

"He was called to the bar in 188 C and enjoyed a lucrative practice until the break in the Irish ranks occurred in 1890. During h.s Australian trip in ISSii he married a daughter of the late Mr James Dallon ol New South Wales. Mrs .Redmond died many years ago. On his first election to Parliament he hurried up from his constituency, New Ross, tool: th-e oath and his seat, made his maiden speech, created "a scene," and was suspended all in the space of six hours. Mr Justin McCarthy, has written of Mr Redmond "John Edward Redmond is one of the leading men in the House of Commons. He is one of the very few really eloquent speakers of whom the House can boast at the present time. His j eloquence is. indeed, of a kind but rarely heard in either House of Parliament during recent years. It is quits certain that ■ Redmond is accented by • the House of Commons in general as •one of its most eloquent speakers and one of its ablest party leaders. TRAINING AS WHIP. "During his earlier &;ssio;is in the House of Commons Redmond did not speak very often, but when he did speak ho made it clear that lie had at his command a gift of genuine- eloquence. He held oiiice as one of the "whips" of the Irish National party—that is to say, as one of the chosen officials whose duty it is to look after the arrangements of tlie party, to see that its members are always in theftplaces at the right time, to settle as to the -speakers who are to take part in each debate, and to enter into any necessary communications jvith the wliips of the -other parties in the House. Redmond was a man admirably suited for such wort. He had had an excellent education; he had the polished Manners of good society; lie belonged to .what I may call the country gentleman order, and could ride to hounds with n IwiTCemauship -which must have won the respect of the Tory squires from the Tiunting ■counties; and he had an excellent o.sinaeity and memory fo>- all matters of arrangement and detail." RELATIONS WITH PARNELL. When the revelations of the Paniell divorce case caused a majority of the Irish Nationalists, if only in the interests of their cause, to desire another leader, Redmond was the leading member of the minority who urged that Parnell's private life had not-hTng to do with his political career, anil who supported him until his sudden death put an end to the fierce open controversy within the party. Efforts were thou, made by leading men on both sides to bring about a process of reconciliation. John Dillon, on the one side, and John Redmond on the other, lent every help thev could to these patriotic efforts. John Dillon bad by tills time become leader of .the more numerous party. John Dillon became impressed with the conviction that it might tend to smooth matters and-.to open a better chance for reconciliation if he, as one of the most conspicuous anti-Parnellites, were to resign his position,' and to invite the «hole party to come together again and elect a leader. Accordingly at the close of a session Dillon announced his intention to resign the place of leader, and ho ;u|[ f ed t the announcement that he would if it ILJ? 01 ? even u it thould be offered to him by a rote of his nartv. This -pi tnotic course of action was most hanpy ! m its results. The Irish National members met together once ao-a'n as a united_ party and the was | confeiled on John Redmond. A GREAT DEBATER. i ' Ike House of Commons, as a Whole (writes Air McCarthy) has thoroughly lecogmsed Redmond's position, - ca 2 atit J-- Tlie Prime Minister has given many proofs of the importance which lie attaches to Redmoiiu s decisions and movements. The new leader of the Irish party has won a much li.gher rank as a Parlianientai-v debat-er than lie ever had attained in the clajs be lore ho had become invested iMth a really grave responsibility, the newspaper critics on ail sides of poht.cal life are agreed in describing him as one of the foremost living de° baters. Indeed, there are but three cr four men m the House of Commons hho could nossiblv be compared with him for eloquence and skill in debate, and there is a qual.tv of gra-e and artistic form in his stvle of eloquence which -often recalls tfie memories of brighter days, whin the art qf oratory was still cultivated in Parkament," Since Mr McCarthy wrote, the Irish party has been again snlit and in the preseiiu Parliament William O'Brien and his twelve henchmen are an independent party. They assume to represent Parnell and h s refusal to combine with any English party. HIS OBJECTS. Mr Redmond was an outsnoken ouponent of the South African" war. ~ Addressing Irish Societies in New York, Mr Redmond said: "We propose to advance the national cause of Ir. slim en by making the. government of Ireland by England in evevy department, difficult, dangerous, and finally impossible." Another like it: 11 We will harness the English Government until ft is conthat the only way to rid itself of the nuisance and danger of th° Irish members of Parliament is to send thton from Westminster back to Ireland, where it would be their ioy and their duty to manage their own affairs."