The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-08-24

sentation of the country; they would
send anti-Irishmen to the most con-
spicuOus parliament in Europe, who
would declare in the hearing of the
world that Ireland was loyal and con-
tented under English rule; that she
was prosperous and happy, and would
be peaceful and progressive If there
We're only few more coercion acts
passed every year, and If the right of
public meeting and Of free speech were
only kept down. Nothing would de-
light England more than such a sui
cidal political program. Had q policy
of this character been adopted at the
last general election. what q figure
Ireland would have presented to the
civilized world! All her members
would have upheld Mr.. Chamberlain,
would have supported the war against
the Beers, and would have thus held
lis up to the moral reprobation of the
world as guilty partners with Eng
land in the assassination of liberty in
South Africa. Is this prospect which
could find approval from any Nation
alist Of common sense on either side
of the Atlantic?"
There is much force in what Mr..
Davitt says. Salisbury and Chamber
lain would be delighted to have the
Irish Nationalist members resign their
seats and leave Westminster forever.
During the session just closed some of
them were temporarily suspended for
criticising the ministry. They would
be permanently suspended if the Tor
les had their way. 1t is said that the
Irish representation will he soon re-
duced, and an American journal that
ought to know better thinks Ireland
has the best of it in parliamentary
representation at the present time.
The Chicago Herald-Record of Aug.
ID shows that England with popula-
ton of 3O,S12.S5 has AGO members i'm
parliament; Scotland with 4,471,957
has 20 members; Wales with 1,719,317
has 80 members; and Ireland with
4.456.546 has 1O1 members. Our Chi
cago contemporary thinks Ireland has
30 members too many and that instead
of having 1O1 as now it should have
only Il.
OF course, the Record Herald is not
aware that the representation of Ire
land was fixed in 1900 when the popu-
lation of the country was about the
same as it is today. In the act for the
union of Great Britain and Ireland,
passed on July 2, 1900. it was stipu-
lated that 400 commoners be the num-
Der to sit and vote OH the part of Ire
land in the House of Commons of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom"
That being the case how could the
representation be reduced without vio-
lating the solemn compact entered in
to between the two nations? In refer
ence to the question of reducing the
Irish representation as recently limited
at by Balfour and Chamberlain at the
Unionist demonstration held at Blen-
helm Palace, Mr.. T. M. Healy, NJ. P,
has the following to say:
"Chamberlain's speech is merely an
idle threat. The treaty of 1900 gave
Ireland 100 members of parliament.
In 1882 the membership was increased
to los, and in 1886 Mr.. Gladstone
fixed the number at 1O3. Two places
were DISTINGUISHED for bribery. If the
proposition to reduce the representa-
ton of Trinity College is accepted, then
the same course is imperative in the
case of Oxford and Cambridge. The
Conservatives will not. however, vio-
late the old treaty, since by so doing
they would involve the dissolution of
parliament, and therefore will not take
the risk. If the English grant Home
Rule, then parliament can do as it
pleases regarding the representation"
We think the Tory party will hest
tate before it undertakes to deprive
Ireland of the representation guaran-
teed in the treaty of 1900. If Ireland's
population today were 100000 (what
it ought to be) the Irish people would
not demand larger parliamentary
representation. The act of union was
passed by bribery and intimidation and
against the protests of the Irish peo-
pie. O'Connell labored for years for
the repeal Of the act Of union, and, in
later times. Parnell and his followers
compelled Gladstone to take up the
question of self government for Ire.
land in her ancient capital on the Lift
fey. Until Home Rule is granted Ire
land will insist on full representation
In the imperial parliament.
In his address at Oswald's Grove,
Chicago, on Aug. Is, O'Donovan Rosa
quoted from q snoach. If nan}ol n,c,on ,