The Irish standard., 1905-04-22

One notable result of the activity of
the Irish party during the present ses-
sion of Parliament and the exposure
of the Dunraven intrigue for its dis
ruption, is the temperance of the
Irish question in the forefront of the
political issues that will determine
the Parliamentary situation, says the
Dublin Freeman. Two months ago
Liberal orators, Liberal organizations,
the Liberal Press, and the Liberal con-
tributors to the monthly magazines
seemed to have forgotten that there
was such country as Ireland, and
that it was at present ruled from
Westminster. In all the forecasts Of
Liberal policy the name of Ireland
never occurred. Not alone was the
Gladstonian policy put away out of
sight, but no attempt at formulating
a substitute was made, perhaps,
wisely. Now the question is "bobbing
up again." as the Dowager Duchess OF
Marlborough said of Mr.. Gladstone.
It was inevitable, of course, once the
problem of the General Election and
after had to be faced. 1t was realized
that the Irish voters up and down
through England were not going to
vote in block for the Liberal party
without knowing whittier the party
was bent. The very change in the
prospects of the Liberal party which
the Liberal orators were congratulat-
ing themselves upon, made 1t neces-
sary that the Irish electors should be
cautious. Mr.. Chamberlain's propa-
ganda has altered the whole problem
for the Irishmen of Great Britain. Two
years ago, when it was a question
merely of reducing mammoth Tory
majority and restoring the balance o.
parties and the influence of the inde-
pendent Irish eighty-two, there might
have been an excuse for Irish electors
voting it blind on the Liberal ticket.
There would then have been no dan
ger of substituting for an omnipotent
Tory majority an equally omnipotent
Liberal majority, as Independent of
Irish opinion and the representatives
of ireland. But that danger now ex-
lists. The political meteorologists are
reckoning on Liberal party of three
hundred and sixty or three hundred
and seventy members being returned
at the General Election. Should such
q tremendous revolution of political
power take place the Liberal party
would have a majority of sixty or
seventy over the Irish party and the
Tories combined. Clearly, the Irish
voters and their advisers should hesi-
tate before turning such possibility
into reality, without previous assur-
ance as to how the Liberal majority
would deal with Ireland and her inter-
ests. The situation is one that de-
mands careful treatment from the
Irish leaders.
Their task is not rendered easier
by such speeches as those which Lord
Spencer and Mr.. Winston Churchill
have delivered quite recently. Respect
for Lord Spencer's integrity and mag
nanimity, his loyalty to Mr.. Gladstone
and the true Liberal tradition in I'm
perial matters is widely entertained in
Ireland. But when at the present mo-
ment he speaks on the future Liberal
policy, disappointment is all the
keener for the absence of any light on
Liberal intentions with regard to Ire
land. Mr.. Winston Churchill is
scarcely to be reckoned a Liberal
leader yet;; but he is shaping towards
that position. He does not initiate the
silence of Lord Spencer; but his ideas
of the future of Liberal Irish policy
will not be readily accepted as satis'
factory by Irishmen. In his speech at
Sheffield he advocated the adoption OF
the Wyndham-Dunraven schemes as
substitute for the measures of Mr..
Gladstone, and pleaded that on such
a platform Mr.. Morley and Lord Rose
berry might stand together. Lord
Rosebery, he told his audience. is no
Home Ruler. Mr.. Morley is; but 1t
will be "a physical impossibility to