SINN FEIN VICTORIES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 169, 11 April 1919, Page 7

SINN FEIN VICTORIES

A correspondent, who si;ns himself "Ail Irishman," writes to "The Times contending that the recent victories of tho Sinn Fein Party are less significant than they seem. He begins by pointing out that the total of registered elector/, of all categories in Ireland is 1,937,245. Then lie continues: "There were ft a number of uncontested constituencies, mainly in Munster, where the O'Brienites went over to the Sinn Feiners.' These form a class by themselves; we have no figures to go on. Deducting all tho rc"istered voters in these uncontested districts, we have left 1,102,467 electors who wcro given an opportunity of expressing their views at tho poll.*). Of these 4{5,1115 voted for Sinn Fein, leaving 977,302 who cither voted against. Sinn Fein or did not vote at all. Of actual votes cast 455,105 were in fovour of Sinn Fein and 513,357 .""ainst. It: will not. do to say that in Great Britain also a largo proportion does not vote at all. There is .no comparison. The average voter at n Parliamentary election in England feels that 1 things will go on much as before whether jho votes or not. In Ireland this dec--1 tion was fought throughout avowedly as a plebiscite. Candidates were put up in I ovei'v constituency—even tho most licpe- | less 'Ulster seats—in order to "poll out' the complete Sinn Fein vote. The visit of President Wilson was made use of on a hundred platforms to incite the people to make such' a full and linal display of their 'overwhelming' ni'i.iority as would impress all America. The electoral machinery of Sinn Fein was admittedly such as had never been seen before in Ireland. And the result is 485,105 votes polled for Sinn Fein oiit of 1,402,Ki7 votes on the register in the contested I constituencies!" These figures (says tho | London "Tablet") certainly give food for | thought, but it must be remembered that nearly all the uncontested seats were won by tlie Sinn Fein Parly, and a constituency is uncontested only when the strength of tho dominant party is overwhelming.