The Irish standard., 1905-12-09

tudI no new system OF government In
Ireland will be accepted as satisfac-
tory except legislative assembly free
ly elected and representative of the
people with power to make laws for
Ireland, and an executive government
responsible to that assembly and this
convention declares that the Irish Ma
tional Party can not enter into an
alliance with or give permanent sup
port to any English party or govern
ment which does not make the ques-
ton Of granting such an assembly and
executive to Ireland the cardinal point
of its program" 1t may be that the
Liberal Party, even should it adopt the
Irish demands in full, would not be
able to force such q policy through
the House Of Lords. But such a sit
uation would only be partial de-
feat for renewed application to the
country and an endorsement from the
country of such policy would compel
the Lords to accept the bill. If the
new Liberal ministry, however, at
tempts evasion on the Irish question,
should its leaders entrusted with
power, refuse or neglect to carry out
their promises the life of the Liberal
ministry will be short indeed. In such
case they, would be harassed from
the very commencement by upwards of
eighty Irish Nationalist who are ad-
epts in obstruction. Sir Henry Camp
bell-Bannerman would in that case find
his position a great deal harder than
that in which Balfour has been placed
for the last two years. There is but
one way to settle the Irish question
and that is to settle it right. Admit
tedly the present system Of govern
ment is a failure. It will not do to
say that the failure is due to the Irish
themselves. It is beyond controversy
| that the present system of govern
ment is distasteful to the Irish; nay,
more, the great majority of the peo-
would seem to Americans that it
| would be a wise piece of statesman
ship on the part of the British govern
ment to end this struggle of centuries
| and to make Of Ireland a friend for
England instead of an enemy. In the
dark days of the Boer War when re-
ports were coming from South Africa
relating the destruction of whole arm
| les the Irish representatives in parlia-
ments being made in the House of
Commons, rose to their feet in a body
and shouted for the Beers. In the
days of her strength England might
with temporary safety to herself have
disregarded such scene and met it
with new act of coercion and Jail
sentence, for treason but the day may
soon come, if indeed it is not already
present when England needs the aid of
the Irish people.
We believe that majority of the
English people themselves are now of
the opinion that it is not possible to
make Ireland loyal member of the
Empire by the policy which has been
pursued in the past. The Irish will
not be conquered; they may be exter-
| minated. One of two things remains
for England in her treatment of Ire
land; either grant the demands Of the
Irish people for Home Rule, such
Home Rule as Canada enjoys today,
or continue its present course until
| every Irishman has been driven from
Ireland. The first course is one Of
safety and honor. The second course
is one Of danger and Of untold dis
grace to so-called great civilized ma
ton. The first course is safe and
honorable because the Irish people
would then have no reason to be 9TH
erwise than loyal to the Empire. 1t
| would be honorable to England be-
cause the Irish people have at all
times shown themselves to be worthy
foes and true friends. The last course
Is dangerous as is shown at the time
of the Boer War. Had the Beers been
a little more powerful England would
have needed the aid Of every Irishman
in her armies to suppress them. 1t
is dishonorable course because the
demands Of the Irish people are not
unreasonable and comprise no more
than what England freely grants to
other peoples situated in like condi-
ton. Ireland asks no more than Eng
land a long time ago granted to Can
ada and Australia.
We hope that Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman may be the English states
man to solve this question and to
bring peace and prosperity to peo-
pie who have surely suffered long
enough. If he should accomplish this
task he will have done more for the
British Empire than any Prime Minis
ter Of our day.