The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-30

I AN lhl6h E a MI y - IA NJ
Iabouohere Says There Must be One AZ n
lowed. Be
I see every day, says the witty and Y y h !
able editor of London Truth, this or
that advice given to us with respect to
ireland. First, We were told that the
two parties ought to act together. ~ hat
they were to do together was never sex
pressly stated: but they we're to act.
This soon was found mere piOus az
piration. Since then various plans have
been suggested, the great fault Of which
IL that they are not likely TO satisfy the
Irish. Such schemes giving too much 4
to meet with Conserva alive approval,
and giving too little to meet with Irish
APPROX al are obviously impossible 60
far as the present House OF Commons iss
concerned. Their purposes would, be-
tween two stools, fall heavily to the
ground. There are not, therefore,
three courses to- pursue, but only two.
One is to do nothing the other is to DO 1
enough to secure the assent Of the Par
nellites. This is the practical quito ONE
of the situation; all else is mere IA
trigue. This being so, those who, like
Mr.. Gladstone, do not hold to the dos
nothing views must endeavor to- devise
q scheme which, whilst it satisfies the
Irish, does not ALLEVIATE the English BY
endangering the unity Of the Empire.
An Irish Parliament there must he. The
veto Of the Imperial Parliament on
Irish legislation not only would not be-
accepted by the Irish, but would hardly
meet with approval on this side Of the
channel, for we should not get rid Of
the present disturbing influence to that
party government which has become
the corner stone of our political system.
Under these circumstances, / should
say that we ought to assimilate Ireland
so far as possible to the Dominion.
The fewer the points of contact the
less probability is there Of friction. OF
course, if we think, like most Of the
Zines corresponds that the Irish
| Nationalist are pernicious lunatics, we
ought not to give them wea pons which
they might turn against US. But it Isl
mere assumption that they are thisan
assumption which would justify us in
keeping them for ever under restraint.
The argument that they are not fit for
| self-government, and that they would
use it to destroy all civil government, is
one that has been used time and again
by the Tories against any extension Of
the franchise. By exaggerating the
dangers Of change, and by assuming
the possible to be the probable, these
enemies of progress have always sought
to hinder all progress. A thing =,
therefore it ought to be. Tie it be shown,
that it ought not to be, the answer ~
ways has been that what can be sub.
stituted has not proved to be workable.
Evidently it has not. nor can it be. Il
the experiment be never tested. Even
those who distrust Home Rule would
do well to consider whether their choice
lis not between two evils. Is the state
Of Ireland such that we can congratn-
Hate ourselves on itp Home Rule, 1 as
lsert, will make things better; this may
| or may not be- true, but Only g very hSSSlad
or q very ignorant man would assert
that it must necessarily make them
worse. But, say some Liberals, look
what a splendid cry Integrity Of En-
pre- will be for the Conservatives. We
might, if there were q general election,
be beaten This is q low, party view
of our duties. Still, am by no means
sure that the probabilities are in favor
Iof our being beaten. The mass Of the
electors are thinking Of their interests
Those who think out the matter will
Ieven though they may not be enthll-
slastic for Home Rule say that as one
Of the parties in the state has pledged
itself to it, Home Rule is only a ques-
ton Of time, ana that 1t will be better.
to do at once what must eventually be
done II, therefore, the question be re-
ferred to the celebrates, and il the
Radicals hang together, we, not the
Tories, shall il all probability win.
2