The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-01-10
The Correspondent Explains and Corrects
Statements Made by Him in
Former Epistles.
Many Americans Who Spend Time and Money
Upon the Continent Should
Not Forget Erin.


men out of Irishmen, and it is foolish
to try to do so. Ireland must remain
member of the English Empire, but
should have-and is to have-a nation
al entity under some form Of home
rule"
These significant words We're spoken
TO me by member of the cabinet, one
who is having not a little to do with
shaping the legislation for the recon-
struction of Ireland, says Walter Well
man in a letter from London to the
Chicago rd-Herald. The meaning
Of the declaration is that the Balfour
ministry is determined to put an end
once for all, to what is known as the
Irish question. 1t will deal with the
problem to two parts:
1. The land question, by means of a
comprehensive scheme of state pur-
chase, involving from 100000 to 400,-
600 occupiers of agricultural holdings
and state guarantee to the extent Of
probably more than f100,O00,O0O, and
designed to remove the curse of land
lordism from Ireland forever.
2. A home rule measure in some
form, either by establishment of a
central legislative body at Dublin, by
legislative council for each of the
four provinces of Ireland, or by trans
formation of the 1O2 Irish members of
parliament into standing committee
to deal with all Irish affairs-a parlia-
ment within parliament.
The first of these great measures is
promised to be ready for introduction
on the reassembling Of parliament
Feb. II. The second may be expected
to follow within year or two after
the first shall have been disposed of.
There can be little doubt that the re.
tirement of Lord Salisbury and the ac-
cession of Arthur James Balfour as
prime minister marked turning point
in the long and dreary history Of Ire,
land. 1 have reason to believe that in
the personal sense the dawn of Ire.
lands brighter era was synonymous
with visit which Mr.. Balfour made
to the poorer parts Of Connaught in
1888. He was chief secretary for Ire.
land then, and went to Connaught, ac.
companied by his private secretary
George Wyndham, now chief secretary
for Ireland with seat in the cabinet
to investigate for himself the condi.
tions there. He saw the same scenes
Of misery and plodding patience and
stolid endurance which l have EN-.
deavored to portray in these letters.
What Mr.. Balfour saw must have
touched his heart as a man and his
conscience as a statesman; must have
reused in him sense of the response
bility which justly rests upon the
shoulders of Great Britain for having
wrought such work through crue
system planted there long ago and
ever since maintained.
For Immediately afterward Mr.. Bal
four planned and created the congest
ed districts board, which was design
ed to deal with and ameliorate thu
conditions existing in Connaught an(
to some extent in other parts of thu
country. From that day to this Mr.
Balfour has been friend to all meas
ures for Irish reconstruction. He sup
ported his brother Gerald in securin,
passage of the very important act b!
which the old grand jury Tor landlord
system of local government was sup
planted by the present elective count,
councils.
And finally we find Mr.. Balfou
planning for Ireland what we dar
hope will prove to be complete ant
ample measures of land and politica
reform.
No one whose opinions are wortl
much seems now to think there woul'
be any danger either to social orde
or imperial unity in setting up an Iris
parliament. The Irish people, like an
other people of active minds, need PAL
ticipation in their national affairs
they need the stimulus Of political ac
tivity, of parties. questions, discus