Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-03-06

the latter anu III must nc dlloNVh W w -
very pleasant thing for Americans that an
Englishman of his penetration ana mae
pendence can visit our country, ma 50
much to praise, and express his approval
with such caudOr. His paper Is, III lac',
a statement of what he believes some Oh
the American institutions, IDEAS ana ar-
rangements would accomplish, Ill the
way of solving some of the English prop
lens if adopted in England lie empha-
sizes the fact which good many foreign
critics have overlouked-that our lnstltu- |
tions are the natural OutgrOwth of our
national life, and are in the main exactly |
adapted to it, We wear them to use his |
figure, like Il wel-fittng suit of clothes.
He finds here that quality which he HIM
self has stamped lS Philistinism, but Il
PhlistiniSm far more open to ideas and
sensitive to the spirit of the age than
English Phllistinlsm. He declares that
Americans possess two faculties, which he
thinks just now largely in allegiance in
England-"clear seeing and straight
thinking" He allows, indeed, Il measure
of these faculties to us much greater
than we can claim for ourselves lie be
lieves that our politics are more corrupt
than the politics of England, but declares
that the statements of such travellers as
Sir Leppel Griffin i'll regard to our pollt-
ical corruption are grossly exaggerated,
and that he found at Washington many
politicians who compared well III point
of integrity. intelligence, and social
tone with the best men i'll Eng
lsh public life The political prob
lem and the social problem he is
confident have been practically settled i'll
this country; there is no danger from
without and no possibility of revolution
from within. The State governments and
the municipal system admirably divide
the responsibility and the work of govern
ment with the General-Government at
Washington. The principle of local gov
eminent in regard to local and subordin-
ate matters, Mr.. Arnold believes to be
what is needed in England for the govern
ment of Ireland and for the relief of the
terribly overcrowded calendar of the
House of Commons. What he says on the
Irish question is SO noticeable that we
quote most of it:
Well, then, Our greatest institution, the
House of Commons, we cannot say L. at
present working like the American instl-
buttons, easily and successfully. suppose
we now pass to ireland. will not ask if
our institutions work easily and success
fully in Ireland to ask such question
would he too bitter, too cruel mOCkcry.
Those hateful cases which have been tried
III the Dublin courts this last year suggest
the dark and ill-omened word which APP
plies to the whole State of lreland-dHtt-
Huturut, anti. uutUrC-that Is the word
which rises irresiStbly in my mind as |
survey Ireland. Everything is unnatural
there-the proceedings of the English who
rule, the proceedings of the Irish who re
SiSt. But it is with the working of our
English institutions there that ! am now
concerned. 1t is unnatural that Ireland
should be governed by Lord Spencer and
Mr.. Campbell Bannerman-as unnatural
as for Scotland to be governed by Lord
Cranbrook and Mr.. Healy. 1t is unnatu-
raj that Ireland should be governed under
Crimes Act. But there is necessity, re
plies the government Well, then, if there
is such evil necessity it is unnatural that
the Irish newspapers should be free tt
write rs they write and the Irish members
to speak as they speak-free to ntlamt
and further eXaSperate SedltlOuS people
minds, and to promote the continuance OF
the evil necessity. \ necessity for the
Grimes Act Is Il necessity for absolute gov
eminent. BY our patchwork proceedings
we set up, indeed, II make-DelleNe OF Ire
lands being cOnstitutiOnally governed
But it is not COnstitutiOnally governed
nobody suppOses it to be cOnstitutiOnallN
governed, except perhaps, that born swal
lower Of all clap trap, the British Phllis
tine The Irish themselves, the all-im
portant persUnages in this case, are no
taken in our make believe does not pro
duce in them the very least gratitude, tn,
very least sottening. At the same time i
adds an hundred-told to the difficulties o
an absolute government.
The working OF our institutions benz
thus awry, is the working of our thoughts
upon them more smooth and natural
imagine to myself an American, his owl
institutions and his habits of thought be
ing such rs we nave seen, listening To III
as we talk politics and discuss the strained
state of things over here. Certainly
these men have considerable difficulties,
he would say but they never look II
them straight they do not think straight.
Who does not admire the fine qualities o
Lord Spencer and |, for my part, an
quite ready to admit that he may requir
Tor Il given period not only the presen
Crimes Act, but even yet more strlngell
powers of repression For a given period
yes but afterWard Has Lord Spence
any clear vision of the great, the prOfoun
changes still To be wrought before sta
BILE and prosperous society can arise /
Ireland Has he even any ideal for tn
future there, beyond that OF IA time Whe
he can go to visit Lord kenmare, or an
other landlord VINO IS his friend, and fin
al the tenants punctually paying thel
tents, prosperous and deferential, and 81
ciety in Ireland settling quietly dow
again upon the old basis Ana he mlEh
AS well hope to see StrOngbOw come t
life again. Which of lis does not esteeI
and like Mr.. Trevelyan, and rejoice in tn
high promise of his career And how a
his friends applaudcd when he turne
upon the cNasperatlng and insulting IRIS
members, and told them that he IAN Eng
lish gentleman ~ Yes, if one thinks of i
Mr.. Trevelyan was thus telling the Iris
members simply that he was just Wht
Ireland does not want, and which can d
her no good England. to be sure, Ia
given Ireland plenty of her worst, but 81
has also given her not scantily of ht
best. Ireland has had no insufliciel
supply of the English gentleman, with h
honesty, personal courage, high bearing
good intentions and limited vsi, II whi
she wants is statesmen with just the quail
ties which the typical English gentlema
has not-tieXibility, Openness of mind,
free and large view of things.
Irishmen are to be found who, in de