orman
always says that the strings of government in modern states are pulled
by financiers. Ascher was probably chucking at those which are fastened
to the arms and legs of the President of the United States, with a view
to making that potentate dance threateningly in the direction of Mexico.
I am sure that Ascher does this sort of thing very nicely and kindly
if indeed he does it at all. He would not willingly destroy the
self-respect even of a marionette.

Of Gorman I saw nothing more before I left New York. I think he went off
to Detroit almost immediately after our interview with Ascher and
Stutz. Gorman is not exactly the man to put his public duties before
his private interests, but I am sure the public duties always come in a
close second. Having settled, or thought he had settled, the affair of
the cash register, he immediately turned his attention to that wealthy
motor man in Detroit from whom he meant to get a subscription. The
future of the Irish Party possibly, its comforts probably, depended
on the success of Gorman's mission. And a party never deserved comfort
more. The Home Rule Bill was almost passed for the third and last time.
Nothing stood between Ireland and the realisation of Gorman's hopes
for her except the obstinate perversity of the Ulster men. A few more
subscriptions, generous subscriptions, and that would be overcome.

After enjoying myself in New York for a fortnight I went to Canada.
I did not gather much information about the companies in which I was
interested. But I learned a good deal about Canadian politics. The
men who play that game out there are extraordinarily clearsighted and
honest. They frankly express lower opinions of each other than the
politicians of any other country would dare to hold of the players
in their particular fields. In the end the general frankness became
monotonous and I tired of Canada. I went back to New York, hoping to
pick up some one there who would travel home with me by way of the West
Indies, islands which I had never seen. I thought it possible that I
might persuade the Aschers, if they were still in New York, to make the
tour with me. There was just a chance that I might come across Gorman
again and that he would be taken with the idea of preaching the
doctrines of Irish nationalism in Jamaica. I called on the Aschers twice
and missed them both times. But the second visit was not fruitless. Mrs.
Ascher rang me up on the telephone and asked me to go t