The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-02-28
REDMOND IN EDINBURGH.
The Irish Leader Speaks on the
Land Question.

In recent speech at Edinburgh, Mr., |
John Il. Redmond, NJ. p, chairman of
the Irish Parliamentary Party, said
in part:
The Irish vote was an instrument
OF enormous power and, if wisely used
1t could exercise untold influence upon
the vote of British parties. But the
Irish vote was powerful only when it
acted as one man, when it was pre-
pared to cast its influence on one side
or upon the other at the word of CON-
mand from the Irish leaders. No
man could foretell how that vote
would be advised to go ut the election:
the decision must be moulded by the
circumstances of the moment; but he
felt confident that when the advice
was given it would be acted upon as
one man. (Cheers.) His opinion was
that the prospects in Ireland at the
present moment We're bright. (Cheers)
One, of course, could never forecast
with certainty the extraordinary vaga-
ries of English statemanshp in Ire
land, but still he thought he could
safely say that in his opinion the
chances We're that there would be soon
passed into law a great measure of
reform which would heal the wounds
of centuries and give the Irish peo-
pie mt long last the chance of living
in peace and prosperity on their own
soil (Cheers.) The conference which
had taken place between the rep
resentatives of the landlords and of
the tenants offered to the present Gov
eminent chance, unparalleled since
the Union, of settling the worst portion
of the Irish question. The representa-
tives of the two contending parties had
come together recognizing that some
concessions should be made upon one
side and upon the other for the sake
of settlement, and they had arrived at
compromise which could be carried
into effect without delay and without
risk of serious loss to the State. He
did not believe that the terms were
too generous Or too big to pay for
peace. The cruX Of the whole bust
ness was the assertion that they were
making an unreasonable demand upon
the British Treasury The proposed
reduction to the tenants would leave
a deficit which ought to be provided
by the British Treasury of the three
Kingdoms. He read with some sur
prise speech made the other day by
Sir Henry Campbell Bannerman, who
seemed to have formed a most eXac-
gcrated idea as to the probable amount
that would be required, and the effect
of the speech seemed to him to be to
throw cold water on the whole propos
al. He scarcely thought that was in
tended, for Sir Henry himself voted
in favor Of a compulsory land settle
ment, which, Of course, would have
necessitated more lavish expenditure
than under voluntary scheme. The
O'Conor Don had suggested that the
amount would be E176OOO a year.
Other financiers had gone to the ex-
IRENE length of saying that the deficit
would amount to million year. He
believed the O'Conor Don was very
much nearer the truth. A sum not
half a single weeks expenditure on the
war would be sufficient. (Cheers.) AL
most the whole of the deficit would
disappear Immediately by the reduc-
ton in the cost of governing Ireland.
In ten years not only would the deficit
be made up, but the Treasury would
have considerable balance over and
above. (Cheers). The Treasury was
bound to provide the money, for Eng
land was responsible for the land sys.
stem in Ireland. 1t was the work
of England's hands. Mr.. Gladstone
once said, "These landlords are our
garrison in Ireland. We planted them
there In 1641, in 16SS, and again in
17oS. We conquered the country for
them. Their deeds are our Deeds"
(Cheers). That creation Of England
had been her shame and her torture,
and If, in order to put an end to that
system. a moderate use of Imperial
credit was necessary, it did not lie in
the mouths Of English statesmen to
say that there was no reason in ask
ing for help from the British Treasury.
(Cheers.) A second reason was that
England owed an obligation to the
Irish landlords, who, century after
had held Ireland for England
They had done Englands work, most
Of it very dirty work at the best, and
England could not with any decency
refuse now to come to the aid Of the |
Irish landlords and help them to get |
out Of the quagmire into which they |
had sunk. A third reason was that |
owed vast sum of money
to Ireland, arising out of financial re-
lations which had existed between
Great Britain and Ireland for many |
years. Surely, then, it was small