The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-01 00:00:00

"NUMBER ONE'S" OPINION OF THE
HOME RULE SCHEME.

The New York Herald of the 12th inst. prints an
account of an interview which one of its staff had
with Patrick Joseph Percy Tynan, the "Number
One" who figured some years ago in connection with
the "Irish Invincibles." The following are the chief
passages of the reporter's notes: "What do I think
of Mr. Gladstone 's bill as a solution of the Irish
difficulty?" said Mr. Tynan. "I do not believe it
is any solution. Should it pass it will not be of
the least benefit to Ireland." "Do you still believe
in physical force ?" "I do. For a long time
I have been willing to say or do nothing against
constitutional agitation.' The Irish people seemed to
be united in following the -lead of Mr. Parnell,
and I was curious to see what he could achieve under
the most favourable circumstances. In view of the
recent proceedings in Parliament, I emphatically pro-
nounce peaceful agitation a failure. 'What benefit
can this so-called Home Rule be to the Irish people
with the restrictions laid upon their parliamentary
Constitution? Their Upper Chamber, which would
be composed of the landlord class, would be mis-
chievously obstructive of all measures the Lower
House might bring forward to benefit the people. A
Parliament, to be of any benefit to the people, must
be a purely democratic Parliament. Putting the police
under tho control of the Imperial Government is another
defect in the bill. That I consider to be one of the
most degrading portions of the bill. I know it is
said that if the Irish Parliament had control of the
police the union of the two countries would be jeopar-
dised at some time or other. A moment's reflec-
tion will show the fallacy of this argument. The Irish
constabulary amounts to only 12,000 men, and of
what avail would that force be—well drilled as it is—
against the armies that could be brought against it by
the Imperial Government? In the new order of things
proposed Ireland would have no representation in the
British Parliament. From the Home Rule stand-
mint I Bay that it is absolutely essential she should.
It is through her obstruction in the palace at West-
minster that she has attracted the attention of the
world. Through her little county board-,—for that is
all the Parliament means—in Dublin she would
never again be heard of unless she spoke through the
rifle or the cannon.' "What else do you object to in
the bill "Keeping the control of the Customs in
the Imperial Government. It is one of the greatest
evidences of the insincerity of the Ministry. Ireland
with her magnificent harbours all around the coast
and her incomparable water power, ought to bo
as flourishing as England, if she had the making of
her own laws. Under the proposed new regime can
she utilise these powers? I don't see how she can.
The friends of the bill claim that Ireland would dis-
criminate against English goods and manufactures.
; Well, England has been doing the same against Ire-
land for hilndreds of years. Why, England's colonies
do it to-day. Let Ireland have the control of her
police, of her own purse, and a representation in the
British Parliament, and then she would have some-
thing like Home Rule." "Why, you speak as if you
were a Home Ruler yourself, Mr. Tynan?" "If Ido
I don't believe that Ireland will get what I refer to.
There are thousands in Ireland like myself. In the
last election it was shown that Tipperary had 25,000
voters on the roll, and that 9000 refrained from
going to the polls. The absent ones did not believe
they could get anything from the British Parliament,
and they were of the opinion that sitting in the
House of Commons had a tendency to lessen a
man's love for his country. I myself know of one
example. It is The O'Donoghue, the ' Young Chief-
tain of the Glen,' as he was called. There was a time
when he wanted to join the Fenian Brotherhood, and
asked for a certain position from James Stephens,
which he did not get. That is now an open secret.
When he entered Parliament, although he said at one
time it was no place for an Irish gentleman, he was
perfectly satisfied with the relations between England
and Ireland," " I presume you still believe in
revolution." "I believe in giving a fair trial to
every means to better the condition of my country.
Thousands of dollars have been poured into Ireland
from America to aid in the Home Rule movement,
and what is there to show for it? Only this miserable
inadequate bill. True, it may be amended in com-
mittee to satisfy Mr. Parnell; but it ought to be patent
to every student of history that nothing can be gained
from England except what is wrung from her through
her fears."