The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-04-29
SATURDAY, APRIL %. 1893.
VICTORY FOR HOME RULE.

VICTORY FOR HOME RULE.
After prolonged debate the second
reading of the Home Rule bill passed the
House of Commons last Saturday morn
ing by vote of 347 to 3O4. When Glad
stone had replied in magnificent speech
to the arguments of the Tory leader, the
closure was applied by Speaker Peel on
motion of John Morley. The closing
speech of Mr.. Gladstone is pronounced
to be- the greatest utterance of his life.
One Of the London correspondents says
that the moment he arose to reply to Bal
four he seemed to feel that the climax of
his life had come. His years dropped
from him like cloak; his voice was like
a deep-toned bell, clear and clarion. Not
for a moment did it fail him during the
hour thas he held the House under the
absolute spell Of his eloquence. Not a
single oratorical arrowEwas absent from
his culver and he used them all. Wit,
satire, invective, logic, pleading, scorn,
and denunciation followed each other in
overwhelming succession.
Words and blows fell upon his enemies
with fury that made the great gla diator
seem something more than mere human
antagonist. The Tories WINGED under
his lash and voted solidly against him on
the divis on. Not man deserted Glad
stone. Irish nationalsts, radicals and
labor representatives stood as firm as q
rock, notwithstanding the predictions
and expectations of the enemy that some
of them would secede from the Liberal
leader as they did in 1886. The second
reading of the bill passed by strict
party vote and only nineteen members of
the House were absent. Gladstone has
guined an extraordinary ascendancy over
his heterogeneous followers, and the re-
suit of the vote IS q sure indication that
the diverse elements that recognize his
leadership will remain cohesive to the
last. The recorded majority assures the
final passage of the bill despite every op-
position. The bill will go into the com
mittee stage on May 4 and then will come
the amendments. But few of them will
be proposed by the Irish members. The
principal amendments will propose a
double number OF members of each house
OF the Irish parliament, that is to say,
that the Legislative Council will consist
of ninety six instead of forty-eight men,
bers, and the Legislative Assembly of
two hundred and six instead of one hum
dred and three members as proposed in
the constitution of the legislature in
Gladstone's bill. w..
The Irish party will also demand that
their present representation in the Brit
ish parliament be retained with undimin-
ished powers forsix years. Other amend
ments will relate to the financial clauses
of the bill which are far from being salts
factory to the Irish party. The amend
ments will undoubtedly be accepted by
Mr.. Gladstone after q stubborn resist
ance from the Tories. The third reading
will be q mere formality and will pass
the house with the same majority of
forty-three. Then the bill will be.sent to
the Lords where it will receive cool re-
ception. Whether it will be rejected or
not remains to be seen.
It is we'll understood that both the
Queen and the Prince of Wales favor the
passage Of the bill, and the Lords are
cognizant OF the fact. Every effort will
be made by the opposition to emaeculate
the bill in the committee stage on which
it is entering, and when it goes to the
Lords they will hesitate before refusing
it their sanction. II they reject it, Glad
stone will send it to their chamber the
second time with warning that if they
continue obstinate he will resort to- the
constitutional expedient Of increasing
their numbers 30 that the majority of
their house will be Home Rulers. Their
anti Home Rule demons rations and ban
Duets to Ulster Orangenen will avail
them nothing. They have lost their grip
On the people and disaster stares them in
ire faoe. Home Rule is an assured fact,
md they know it, III
n