Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-15
81 mus, sav. however. for my own part. that

81 must sav however for my own part. ina,
Inever will. and never can. be . party TO be
ousathing TO my country the continuance Of
this heritage Of discnrd, which has been handed
down from generation to generation, with
hardly mOnen;ary interruption. through sever
eenturies-this heritage Of discord with all the
evils that follow Ia its train" These were the
words Of William Evart Gladstone in the conclud
ing portion Of his remarks when introducing the
bill which has within it the active germs Of
home rule for Ireland. and then he went on
cit would be misery for me if had foregone OF
omitted in these closing years of my life any
measure it was possible for me to take toward
upholding and promoting the cause which / be
heve 20 be the cause not of party or one nation,
but of all parties and all nations"
Having thus stated the brOadness Of his per-
sonal position the greatest statesman of modern
times proceeded to explain the salient features
Of measure In which the world Is now most
interested. Bat in spite of the lengthy exposi-
ton the bill is still misty some i'm
portsnt points, and these weaknesses have
already been attacked by Mr.. Balfour
and few Of the lesser parliamentary
lights. The unionist minority in ireland has
no place in the bill. and this deficiency will be
claimed from the beginning there we're
other and more material matters to be con-
sidcred than even that Of conscience. and Ulster
men will no; readily accept the semi-sssurnnces
Of fairness TO which Mr. Gladstone gave utter
snce when be sketched conditions In the
Emerald Isle and called attention to the
widely divided sentiment that has done so
much to prevent the passage OF home rule
measure in which the minority was left to
paddle its own canoe. Bat the GlsdstoniSn
hope that the north Of Ireland people will yet
support the movement rests on a shaky founda-
tion. Evidence of the fact that brotherly love
l. at a discount go far as the Ulster 'loyalists
are concerned was produced when Col Sam
derson. member for North Armagh. declared
In the house. with much native vehemence.
that be and his political associates, assisted by
liberals Who will he controlled by religious con-
victions would oppose any and every proposition
that had in IL q resemblance to home rule.
Those Ulstermen and their friends will raise
froable before they will permit themselves to
te imposed upon. and they do believe that the
present bill is imposition. According to the
Glsdstonian program the Irish judges and the
police force will ultimately be controlled by the
Irish legislature and this the .'loyalsts' insist
would mean discomfort. TO say the least Of it,
for the million and more of Irishmen who are
anti-nationalists In this the north Of Ireland
guess IL probably accurate. for human M
tu-e l. about the same al the world over,
and should the majority secure the legis-
lhtion IL seeks the pugnacious minority
would doubtless have many reasons for COM
paint. But while the premier could not chron-
icle any change in the antagonisms which
prevail among the Irish factions he did
have an opportunity. of which he took adj
vantage. to exult over the conditions which
are apparent in England There conversion TO
the GladstOnian idea has been rapid. for in 1886
the majority against home rule was 21l; in
seven years II has been reduced to II, and. as
the liberal leader suggested. 'who will guaran-
tee the permanence Of the opposition of the re-
mainder?" That there are imperfections in the
plan is already evident. but no sound opinion
TO the necessary remedial amendments can be
formed rntil the bill has been printed. Few
fair minded men in this republic viii
deny the justice of Ireland's demands,
and the sentiment of this nation has
been repeatedly crysialized into dollars contrib
uted for the cause, but the end to be reached is
not close AT hand and the way thereto is by no
means smooth.