The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-03

able duties OF the Liberal party when in
power to establish district and PARISH
councils to bring self-government 10
the door of the laboring man
throughout the country, and TO enact
compulsory powers enabling suitable
bodies to acquire land, in order to place
the rural population in nearer relations to
use and proht from the land they have so
long titled for the benefit of others. IGreat
cheeringl
Coming down to the question of the
hours of labor, Gladstone said he views
with satisfaction the large reductions in
the amount of toll exacted which his fel-
low citizens had achieved in the last
twenty years. He wished well
to all further reductions it may
be possible to achieve without
violation of the rights of any man. Be
fore asserting to the principle of COM
pulsory law bidding laborers to reduce
labor to certain number of
hours daily, he was glad to see a
demonstration that these who now
received low wages for long hours are to
receive at least better wages for shorter.
He would give no absolute judgment upon
the question, but recommended much cir
cumspection, much careful examination
before proceeding with steps which may
prove irretrievable, therefore it ought not
be prematurely adopted.
Speaking of the Irish question, Mr..
Gladstone said he was glad their oppo-
nents proposed to introduce local gov
ernment bill, but it is DEATH
bed repentance, for this is the
sixth year of parliament. The
government have pledged themselves
not to adopt coercion and not to use Brit
isti credit to purchase Irish land; also to
Introduce local government. They have
spent five years breaking two of these
pledges; now, IN artictlo mortis, they seek
to redeem the remaining pledge. Such is
the ciemency of the Liberal party that am
sure their resolution will be received with
open arms. l admit, however, that the
reason | rejoice is that local gov
eminent must assist Ireland to OBJ
tain her national rights. The tory idea of
local government, said Mr.. Gladstone.
is an idle tale of local government without
control of the police. This is equivalent
to proposing the creation of parliament
without the power of regulating
taxation. In combating the asser-
ton that the government of Ireland
had been a success, Gladstone at great
the present government called crime
in Ireland, was an agrarian COM
bination to secure tenants an unde-
termined right. No doubt these
combinations sometimes developed crime.
but the government had not waited for
crime. Instead, they had interfered
with private liberty in manner
that would not be tolerated in this
try dcfn he
himself why their opponents persist in
this, for them, hopeless struggle. 1t is be-
cause they are governed by the fear of an
Irish nation.
The reputation of country is measured by g
standard easily gotten at If it means what its
neighbors think of it / condemn q tory
verdict which was long ago pro-
nounced by England with reference to her
conduct towards Ireland. Parliament will
never overtake the arrears In public business
until this terrible Irish policy is out oil the
way. In the period to come 1t is clear
that it must be either friendship or
enmity with Ireland. There has been NO other
alternative before England for centuries, and
during those ages enrnity. not friendship was
chosen as the alternative. It wss enmity
with the states, not with the people,
You have arrived at point decisivei in your his
tory. 1t Is for the future to say, After the next
general election this enmity, If it continues,
will be enmty with the people and not
with the states. If Ireland is oppressed,
hereafter, 1t will be oppressed by you, people of
England. The spectacle Of one people oppress-
ing another is the saddest, the most
heart-rending and humbling that can be
seen on the surface of the earth.
i can never believe that this great
nation will place itself in such position. In
truth, this question has already been consid-
cred in some degree A decided declaration in
Iuvor of friendship has been made in the most
constitutional manner by the results of your
votes Our opponents now admit it to be some
thing formidable. The constituencies have
spoken-not only the sober, the true,
the just but also the inevitable
tGreat applause.l Upon these verdicts
Ireland relies. You have watched her conduct
in the difficult circumstances of the past nine
months, conduct which. / do not hesitate to
say, has evoked III every breast
responsive voice of sympathy and
of increased conviction that may
pull safely, prudently through without our
fellow subjects in Ireland. When the proper
person comes the general sense of this country
viii ratify the Judgment already given at
nearly hundred points. The entire people of
England will, by great and decisive majority,
determine to finally dispose OF these demands
now made upon them in the clearest and most
audible tones, after along and painful exper-
fence, made upon them alike by their honor,
their interest and their duty before God and
man.
AT the conclusion of Gladstone's speech
there was an outburst of enthusiastic
cheering, prolonged for several minutes.
A vote of thanks to Mr.. Gladstone, pro-
posed by Harcourt and seconded by Nor
ley, was adopted with rush, and the pro-
ceedings closed with the singing of "Auld
Lang Syne."