The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-04-20
WILL IRELAND GET HOME RULE

/ Nlne-tenths Of English Catholics De-
clared in Favor of Movement De-
signed to Give Greater Liberties to
Sister Island.
The present session of Britain's leg
islative body will be watched with in
| tense interest on this side of the water.
The home rule program of the liberal
party in parliament has not been
preached in its entirety. 1t is certain
that some sort of a home rule meas
ure will be introduced after the Easter
recess, but the details have been kept
secret so far. There is a feeling that
the measure Will satisfy neither the
Irish nationalists nor the Tories.
Meanwhile the English Catholic
press, the Tablet excepted, has begun
a systematic championship of the home
rule issue. Sir Henry Campbell Ban
nerman's ministry" says the Catholic
Times and Opinion, lis about TO bring
in a bill which, whatever its charac-
ter in detail, is to be a measure favor
ing a grant of further government
by the Irish people, three-fourths of
whom are our brethren in the faith.
That concession of Self-government is
demanded with practical unanimity by
bishops, priests, politicians and people
in Ireland. Why should not their CO.
religioniSts here in England stretch out
to them helping hand and assist them
in achieving that measure of freedom
and justice the deprivation of which
has emptied Ireland of half her popu-
lation in half a century? Why should
any Catholic in Great Britain ignore
the ties of faith and bind themselves to
the interested parties who desire to
keep Ireland in check that she may
provide an electioneerfng cry to turn
the English people from too close at
tention to their own affairs. The men
who deny liberty and justice to Ire
land hate those two democratic ideals
everywhere. They would keep the poor
down and do their best to prevent the
farmer, the laborer, the artisan from
improving his position and escaping
from the weight of their crushing heel.
Their theory of society is that the
great bulk of mankind is born saddled
and bridled, ready to be ridden by a
select few who are born booted and
spurred. Their ideas have not changed
since feudal days, and they fight tena-
ciOuSly against every concession to the
people, whether in ireland or England.
Ireland has been their victim for CEN
turtles, and they have driven out the
pride of its manhood and womanhood
to find fresh hopes and homes across
the ocean. England has been saved
comparatively by its industrial oppor-
though here, too, the country
side is being depopulated by the migra-
ton of the tillers of the soil into the
streets of the cities. Why
should the great masses of English |
people range themselves any longer |
oh LOT n
Ireland, which has denuded England of |
of agriculturists and has turned |
vast tracts of Scotland into deer for |
ests? When have these hereditary land |
owning classes done snything for the
benefit of the Unprivileged, hard-work- |
ing people? The time has come when |
the people should bid them go earn
their own living for themselves, and !
let the poor man have a chance to live. |
IF that is true for the general |
masses of Englishmen-and they GER |
tainly will not again believe the parrot |
cry that home rule means dismember-
ment of the empire; they see that it |
merely means ACKNOWLEDGMENT of land |
ed INTELLECTUALLY true is it for Eng
fish Catholics. Ninety per cent of Cath
olics in this island are already in favor
Of home rule. And of the remaining
10 per cent. perhaps strong minority
favor it too. But those who oppose it
are men of wealth and position, or men
whom habit and racial tradition lead
TO doubt the wisdom of comforting on
heir Irish co-religionists that measure
IF civic and political justice which was
won for themselves by the Irish states
nan, O'Connell. Nay, they are at this
very moment looking to another Irish
statesman, John Redmond, for the sal
-ation of their schools. With an in
egrity of purpose and a nobility of
sacrifice which does him and his col
eagues infinite credit, the Irish leader
las not hesitated, in defense of our
Catholic schools, to resist and oppose
It every step ana by all means in his
power the educational schemes of that
'eTy government from which he eX-
oects a measure OF justice for ireland.
Tor our cause ne has imperiled his own
md that of the country which he rep
esentsi Have English Catholics no g.,
Iuty Of gratitude in return? Can they :
easonably and conscienticusIy ask him :
nd his colleagues to confer favors on :
hem with both hands, and close tight .
heir own grasp when he asks for help :
nd a vote for Ireland?'