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Show W'M. T. STEAD ON JOHN REDMOND. Mr. William T. Stead, editor of the Review of Reviews, and one of the foremost English critics of men and events, a few years ago published a most laudatory criticism of Mr. John Redmond. M. P.. leader of the Irish party, in a series of publications pub-lications which Mr. Stead issued entitled "Coming Men on Coming Questions." Mr. Redmond's subject sub-ject is '"The Financial Case for Home Rule." and was the fourth of the series published by Mr. Stead. The tribute which Mr. Stead in an introductory intro-ductory article pays to Mr. KedmoiKVs ability as a statesman and leader the sense in which the editor of the Review of Reviews uses the word 'politician" is all the more remarkable, because for sveral years previous to Mr. Redmond's selection selec-tion as leader of the Irish party. Mr. Stead was one, of the most relentless and unsparing critics. His recognition of the capacity of the Irish leader is, therefore, all the more instructive and significant. "There are many things doubtful about the parliament par-liament that is about to be elected." said Mr. Stead in his article. "But two things are certain: One is that the Unionists-will be in a' minority in the next House of Commons. The other is that the Nationalist .Irishmen will come back as strong as they- have ever been; that is to say, they will be in a majority of more than five to jjnc over all other Irishmen in the House. "And of these four score stout-hearted fighting men. John Redmond is the fighting chief. His undisputed un-disputed supremacy is emphasized rather than impaired im-paired by the solitary howl of 'Tiger Tim,' the outcast orator .the disclassed Thersites, who roams outside the camp. "If only the Irish had not been forced by one hundred years of wrong into an attitude of irre-conciliable irre-conciliable 'opposition to the British empire and the government thereof. Mr. Redmond would have had a better chance than most men to be prime minister. He has the qualkios of the post. He is a gentleman. He is the greatest of our modern parliamentarians. He is an admirable debater, a superb leader, a man of dispassionate intellect, of sound sympathies and of spleiiflid courage. And be has around him a . group of colleagues, half a dozen of whom would grace any cabinet. "'The Irish team.' said an observer, who did not disguise his hatred, 'is too strong for-any of the English ministers to tackle.' The self-inflicted ostracism of some of the most capable, representatives representa-tives of the people is one of 'the many sacrifices which afflict us as the direct results of Home Rule. Fortunately, no self-denying ordinance forbids an Irish Nationalist leading the opposition, and it will belong remembered, to Mr. Redmond's credit, that, from 1900 to 19U2. it was be. and no other, who was the real leader of the only opposition offered of-fered to the government on the subject of the war in South Africa. "In those black years lie proved himself to be not only the chief of . the Irish Nationalist party, but the leader of the only effective opposition that existed in the House of Commons at that time. In that position he occupied a place in the British constitution only second in importance to that of the prime minister. It is true that at that time national prejudices somewhat obscured the truth from the English and Scotch. But in the House of Commons the members in 1900 began to realize where the center of power lay. Repeatedly, in the course of the debates, Mr. Balfour referred to Mr. Redmond as if he. and not Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. Campbell-Bannerman. were the real leader of the opposition. Therein Mr. Balfour paid homage to facts. "In the midst of the debris of the shattered party which then littered the Liberal benches in the House of Commons, we should have looked in vain for any leadership had it not been for the presence of Mr. Redmond at the head of the Irish Nationalists. National-ists. Here, at least, we had an organized; disciplined discip-lined party, obedient to its leader, undistracted by an.v. internal feuds, thoroughly united in principle and capable of constant attendance at the House." |