The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1891-07-24
HOPE FOR IRELAND.
The British Tories Steal Liberal
Political Thunder.
BALFOUR's OFFER OF EOME RULE.

He Proposes to Put Erin ON an Equal
Footing with England and Scotland
Remarkable Rapprochement Of Con.
servatives and Irishm en-Parnell Now
Charged with Having Always Been a
Stumbling Block.
LONDON, July 22.-In the house of com.
mons Monday, during the debate on the
Irish estimates, Secretary Balfour init
mated that local government bill, based
broadly upon the lines of the English and
Scotch government acts, would be intro.
duced next session. Would such bill, he
asked, have the support of the Irish mem.
bers? He doubted it. Timothy Healy
interrupted the speaker, and declared
that 1t certainly would. It is understood
that such measure will undoubtedly be
part of the government programme for
next session. and the subject is causing
much speculation and comment among
politicians.
The Condition OF the Green Isle.
The discussion of the estimates in par.
lament had been made the occasion for
long reviews in the newspaper press upon
the improved condition of Ireland. The
facts that agrarian crime has diminished;
that trade has increased; that evictions
have lessened in number; that boycotting
has almost ceased; that the plan of cam.
paign is almost extinct, and that emigra-
ton has decreased, are considerably
touched upon. During the past week five
of the principal banking corporations of
Ireland have held their annual meetings,
and, while carrying large balances to their
reserve funds, they have each declared a
dividend of 10 per cent.
'Bribed by American Dollars"
The Standard, referring to the improve
ment in the condition of Ireland, asserts
that the discontinuance of the subsidies
received from the United States is largely
responsible for the improvement. "Ten-
ants" The Standard adds, "bribed by
American dollars will persist in their dis
honest and unlawful conspiracy, but left
to face unaided the consequence Of their
criminal mistake, first in one place and
then in another they have found it neces-
sary to surrender, while the humiliating
collapse of the plan of campaign has
given warning as to the worth of the sol
emn promises of agitators.
Opponents "Flopping Together
In the meanwhile the most remarkable
feature is the curious rapprochement be-
tween Balfour and the Irish members.
The Irish see that their arch opponent is,
after all, human, and that he has quail
ties of sincerity and courage not inferior
to their own. The change has been on
both sides, and Balfour has, perhaps,
learned the most. Nothing was more
striking than his manner Of pioneering
the land bill through the house of COM
mons.
Ought to Satisfy Ireland.
1t is generally conceded that If the pro-
posed bill is broadly based on the lines of
the English and Scotch acts, as the chief
secretary has intimated it will be, the
Irish members cannot consistently refuse
to support it, no matter who may be their
leader. 1t is contended by Conservative
members and admitted by Irish common
ers that Ireland cannot Justly ask for a
liberty of action greater than England
or Scotland are content with, and, indeed,
it has all along been asserted by the Irish
members that with the same privileges
and the same degree Of local government
as England and Scotland enjoy Ireland
would be satisfied.
Parnel Stumbling Block.
The amazing change of attitude of the
Irish members toward the government
party and any Irish measure emanating
therefrom is generally ascribed to the fact
that Parnell is no longer the leader of the
Irish national party, or of any considera-
BILE portion of it. Were Parnell still in
the possession of the confidence of the en-
tire Irish party, as he once was, there is
no doubt that he would throw cold water
upon Balfour's advances, and lead his fol-
lowers away from home rule, as he has
often done before. An Irish member de-
clared in the lobby of the house last even
ing that the conviction was now dawning
upon him as we'll as upon many of his col
leagues that Parnell has actually stood in
the way of home rule for several years
past.
Always Opposed to the Tories.
In the councils of his party he had
steadily opposed every suggestion of CO.
operation with the Tory party in securing
some slight advantage for Ireland from
time to time. Yet when he was repudi-
ated by the Liberals and deserted by q
large majority of the National party, he
sought to make terms with the Conserva-
tives, and would have done so had he been
able to command a respectable following.
There is to-day a widespread feeling
among Irishmen that by the downfall of
Parnell the most serious obstacle in the
way of home rule, which must come grad
ually has been removed.