People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-04-28
HOME RULE.
Irish Home Rule Bill in the British
Parliament.
1t Passes a Second Reading by Good
Maiority-Interesting Debate on the
Bill-Gladstone's Defense of the
Measure The Opposition.
Irish Home Rule,

the house OF commons tocked to the
house early yesterday to secure seats
for the final contest over the second
reading of the Irish home rule bill. DR..
Tanner, national member of parliament
for Middle Cork, was the first to arrive,
being present as early as 6 o'clock.
Several other nationalist and several
representatives of the Ulster unionists
followed closely, and many others were
in their seats much more promptly than
usual.
Mr.. Balfour rose shortly before II
o'clock. A longer period had never
been recupied with the second reading
of bill, he said, than had been allowed
for the present debate. No man, how
ever, had dared contend that, within
the narrow limits of the two islands,
four assemblies, with four executives,
could be operative in harmony with
one imperial parliament. He himself
could not believe that this child
ish imitation of the United States
constitution would ever commend itself
to the Judgment of the British people.
He, therefore. would put the federation
aside as not immediate to the discus
sion. Mr.. Balfour described the bill as
a decisive step toward separation. al
though not a final one. To make it
law, ne said. would lead ultimately to
the disintegration of the empire. He
next discussed in considerable detail
the financial aspect of the home rule
bill. The bill. if passed, would entail
losses and hardship upon all classes in
Ireland. Irish ambition would center
in the new Dublin parliament. Irish.
men would regard the imperial parlia-
ment as a foreign and defeated body.
The Irish people would drink from the
bitter and polluted stream of Irish his
tory instead Of the pure stream of
English history.
If you commit this great political
crime" said Mr.. Balfour, in closing his
speech. you make yourselves respon-
sible for an irTeparable national disas-
ter and all hopes of a peaceful and
united Ireland will vanish forever"
Prolonged cheers and counter-cheers
followed this peroration. Prince Chris.
tan Joined the prince of Wales in the
peers gallery and Sir William IIarcourt
took his place on the treasury bench
AS Mr.. Gladstone rose to address the
house the cheering was renewed. Like
Mr. Balfour, he was in splendid form.
His voice was clearer and fuller than
before during the session and his move
ments gave evidence of unusual energy
and earnestnesS.
The principal weapons of opposition,
he said, were bold assertion, persistent
eXaggeration, constant misconstruction
and copious, arbitrary and baseless
prophecies. True, there were conflict
ing financial arrangements to be dealt
with, but, among the difficulties. moth
ing existed which ought to abash OF
terrify men DESTROYS to accomplish a
great object. The opposition had
evaded steadfastly the real ques-
ton of the second reading-how
must Ireland be governed, if this
bill be rejected? Lord Salisbury
had asked for twenty years coercion,
but, as the policy of converting Ireland
to Professionalism, inaugurated under
Queen Elizabeth, had failed down tc
the present time, what ground was
there for hope that in but twenty years
it would succeed? The late govern.
ment had started with a majority Of
100. Neither the children nor the
grandchildren of this generation would
see such majority again. Yet the
whole fabric of their policy had failed,
and what guarantee was there that il
would not fail again? The present bill
sought to close controversy that
had lasted for centuries. Ireland's
loyal acceptance of the present
bill should cause distrust and disbe-
lief to vanish. There had been no dis
affection of the Irish mind since the
door of hope had been opened. The
continued distrust of the Irish people
despite all they could do, came simply
to this-that they were to be pressed
below the level of civilized mankind
When the boon of self-government was
given to the British colonies, was Ire
land alone to be excepted from its
blessings? To deny Ireland home rule
was to say that she lacked the ordinary
faculties of humanity. Mr.. Gladstone's
closing words We're:
You can not be surprised that we
undertake the solution of this great
questian, and as on the one hand it is
not TIE least of the arduous efforts Of
the liberal party; so. On the other hand,
it will have its place in history-aye,
and not remote, but early history-as
not the least durable, fruitful and
blessed among its accomplished acts"
Before the cheering ceased, George
BARLEY, conservative for North Isling-
ton, rose to continue the debate. Mr..
Morley, chief secretary for Ireland,
moved the closure and it was adopted
William Saunders, radical for the Wal
worth division, who threatened to bolt
to the opposition, changed his mind at
the last moment and went into the
lobby with the ministerialists. AS Mr..
Gladstone returned from the lobby,
liberals and nationalist rose. cheered
and waved their hats. John Red
mond shouted: Three cheers for
Parnell." but the only response
was laughter. The announcement that
the bill had passed the second reading
by vote of S47 TO S04 was the signal
for more cheers and hat-waving. There