New-York tribune., 1903-03-22
MUDDLED POLITICS.
Home Rule Question Nay Further
CompEcate Situation.

,, ,,on Of THE announcement that
49,. on,,,s,+ contempIates bringing in a bill
nroviding a modified form of home rule Tot ire
land complicates the political SITUATION which
already presents an extraordinary muooie. NJ
measure of home rule can be brought before
Parliament this year. and the irish secretary
Mr.. wyndham, is quite likely to deny the ser1-
ous existence OF such plan. But any denial
can be REGARDED as mere political evasion due
to the governments desire not to arouse furtner
opposition among its own supporters until 'ne
Irish Land Purchase bill is safely passed. which
is not expected until September The provisions
Of the latter measure are still kept absolutely
secret and will not be revealed until March 90
when the bill will be brought in. The Nation
aIist members Of Parliament and the irish
Unionsts. including Lord Dunraven. continue
hopeful that 1t will or indeed that it must, con-
tain proposals which will in some degree meet
the demands OF United Ireland.
Lord Dunreven while declining to make any
statement regarding the steps the government
has taken looking to scheme for home rule
and deprecating any announcement as likely TO
prejudice Irish interests, declared that there was
a widespread feeling among the Unionist land
lords for an extended form Of local government,
and no reason was apparent why ali the Irish
parties should not work together toward that
end, they had done in the land question.
The Nationalist leaders refrain from making
any comment, and publicly make little Of their
now continuous support of Premier Balfnur.
The rank and file. however. do not hesitate 10
point out that the government is now at their
mercy. and that the Ministry would twice have
been defeated this session, thanks to the vigOr-
Gus attacks Of the Fourth Party and the large
abstention OF its nominal supporters from yot-
ing. had the Naticnalists voted they have
done for years, with the Opposition.
,,.of11 -Ijo e7id
With dwindling majorities in the House.
crushing defeats in the ye-elections and viru-
lent attacks from the Fourth Party, it really
would not be so much out of the way If Mr.
Balfour did bring In Home Rule bill though;
of course he will call it extension of local
government.
The alliance OF the government with the Irish
has caused intense indignation among many
members Of the Conservative party. who have
so far not publicly expressed their disapproval.
It has also caused keen apprehension among
the Liberal forces, who have been put in a
fresh dilemma by the action Of r. W. Perks
UiberaD, who practically controls the Noncon
formist vote in England and who is Lord Rose
bery's chief henchman in the House Of Com
mons, in issuing manifesto declaring that the
Liberal leaders must now choose between the
Irish or Nonconformist alliance. He main
tains that the action of the Catholic lrlsh1nen
in helping the government to pass the recent
Education bill. in the face Of violent Noncon-
formist protests. forever prevents an under
standing between the Irish Catholics ana the
/ Nonconforn7ists. What we entitled to,
Mr.. Perks says is direct pledge that British
Nonconfornity will take precedence over the
Irish Catholic party and he advises his fellow
NonConfornists not to vote for the Liberal
candidate at the forthcoming bye-election in
the Chertsey Division Of Surrey Mr.. Perks has
thus placed Sir Henry Campbell -Bannerman,
the Liberal leader. the horns of Il dilemma
compared with which even the recent successes
of the Liberals at the polls untmportant
and has added another to the many confusing
issues which rapidly breaking up the long
established party distinctions on both SIDES OF
House