The Irish standard., 1906-03-31


Y Members have spoken as IL we were
9 at tho second reading of a bill. Why,
VIC are not even at the first reading of
bill; and / decline to comply with
this demand; / think most unreason-
able demand. In exactly the Same way
members had done their best to make
this q Home Rule debate, Just as If it
was the second reading stage of q bill.
The member for Derry. In seconding
the amendment. said that he did not at
all SEQ what was intended by the words
in the speech from the throne, but 1t
did not prevent him from making sew
eral plunges at the curtain with his
sword to sec what he might kill be-
hind.
The member insisted that it must
be Home Rule. because nothing but
Home Rule could be expected from
the Government ("No'). He was fair
ly representing the members, but their
words represented nothing but what
had been said over and over again by
members and by nearly every promi-
nent member Of the Liberal Party dur
ing tho last election, and which had
been indOrsed by the enormous major
ity who had returned them to the
House of Commons. Lord Castle
reagh had spoken. and they all recog-
nized the talent and grace with which
his speech was composed, and they
welcomed the Lord to their midst and
hoped he would frequently take part
In their debates. which he would adorn.
The speech Of tho member who had
just sat down contained nothing. He
did not quarrel with what he had said
about the loyalty and prosperity Of Ul-
ster. and the government was quite
as anxious as he to do what was call
culated to assist and develop that pros
pcrity. Tho members opposite seemed
to think there was no need Of change
They vetoed the efforts Of the Tory
Government to introduce changes. and
they held that Liberal Government
ought not to attempt these changes, SO
that which ever government was in
power nothing was done on this sub
ject. He entirely objected to have
the governments freedom Of DELHI
Grafton interfered with by replying to
the demands-he thought most unrea-
sonable demands-of the members op-
posite.
Let him quote the words Of Lord
I,ansdowne in the House of Lords. who
said that there was room for consid-
cradle improvement in that old-fash-
ioncd and complicated organization;"
and the late Prime Minister also spoke
OF the need of changes in Ireland; but
! there was q much more important
principle than that which had refer
ence not to what was said, but to what
was done. Older members Of the
House would remember that the late
Lord Salisbury once made speech in
which he declared that to give local
government to Ireland was more dan
gerous than Home Rule.
| Yet. by the confession Of the member
who spoke on the other side. the local
government bill had worked we'll. And
now about the land bill Of 1908. Tho
scheme Of Gladstone had, he supposed.
been as much opposed by Chamberlain
and others on account of the land
question as for any other reason. An
enormous amount Of credit was since
pledged in dealing with that question
by the Conservative Government. That
same government-Wyndha and Lord
Dudley-had inaugurated a new policy
In dealing with Irish government. The
Viceroy had actually said that Ireland
ought to be governed in accordance not
with English, but Irish ideas, and
Wyndham had appointed as under Sec
rotary Sir A. MacDonnell to give effect
to changes in the government.
The viceroy certainly knew all that
Sir Antony Macdonald was doing; and
as he continued to be Viceroyy after
all the revelations which took place.
the late government made themselves
parties to the admission that changes
j ought TO- b made in the Soyssnmeat of'
lIrsland. He Wopld not sater ieaa at