The Irish standard., 1886-05-22
TIE HOME RULE QUESTION.

There is scarcely any perceptible
change in the Home Rule measure situ-
at1on this week, if is not that there ap-
pears to be a greater probability Of the
bill passing it's second reading. Glad
stones threatened dissolution Of the
House, providing his bill is not success
ful in passing it's second stage, appears
to have had the effect Of inspiring de-
sire within the breasts Of several rene
gade members to step back into the
traces. Many of them know full well
that to go back to their constituents
after failing to carry out the promises
which gained them their seats, would
result in all ignominious defeat and sure
political death.
Suppose the exultant predictions Of
the enemies of Ireland are fnlflled and
the second reading of the Home Rule
bill is defeated by the coalition of the
Tories with the followers Of Lord Hart
ington and Mr.. Chamberlain. What of
il? It has been generally admitted that
all appeal to the people WAS under any
circumstance inevitable, and Ireland has
nothirg to fear by facing it now instead
of later. ebelieve that the disclosure
of the exact strength of the anti
Irish sentiment may prove blessing in
disguise. let us assume that the Home
Rule bill would nave passed it's second
reading by majority of say fifteen or
twenty. This would compel Gladstone
and his followers to defer further COZ
sideration of it until the next session, in
order to insure agreement upon details
and avoid discontinue in committee Of
the whole, and this would necessarily
cause delay OF at least six months. Or
take what is much more improbable
hypothesis, that the British Premier had
carried the second reading by q majority
of eighty, the Whig and Radical seced-
ers not mastering much over forty that
the Home Rule bill had been propelled
by main force through the committee
stage and sent up to the Lords. The
Upper House would Immediately reject
it, or propose amendments to it which
would prove unacceptable to Gladstone
and the Irish people, and this action
would postpone the decisive battle at
the ballot-box for six months or perhaps
a year. Gladstone's health might not
permit harrassing battle on the politi-
cal field like the one which must inev-
itably be made, six months hence, and
at the present time he has nothing TO
fear by going before the country. The
British Premier is an old man now, and
his lease Of life must i'll the course of
nature be very short, and the sooner the
battle is fought we believe tie better it |
will be for the National party. Were q
new election to take place tomorrow,
the Home Rule party proper would not
lose single one of the eighty-six seats
they now hold at Westminster, and they
would almost certainly gain two, one in
Ulster and one in Liverpool. Even The
Tories acknowledge that by the transfer
Of the Irish vote to British boroughs at
least thirty seats now beld by the Con-
seryatives would be secured to the Lib
eral party. This would give Mr.. Glad
stone solid majority of 230, instead Of
the uncertain majority he now retains Of
40, unless the Whig and Radical fol-
lowers of Harrington and Chamberlain
could divert votes enough from Mr..
Aladstone's friends to deprive them Of
some districts credited at the last cleo
hon to Liberals.
Again, the effort on the part Of GER P'r'