The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-22
KILL PLAN FUR
 IRISH COUNCIL Repudiate Bill Proposed By
 John Redmond
HOME RULE OR NOTHING
Most Representative and Harmonious Convention Ever Held In Ireland. Speeches Temperate-LlttIe De.
 nunolatIon of Government.

nunclatIon of Government. Dublin, May 21-The largest, most rep resentative and most harmonious con vention that ever assembled in Ireland today repudiated a plan for a limited Irish council which was all the liberal government had to offer in fulflllment of its campaign promises. This action killed the hope of any home rule legislation by the present parliament. created a serl- ous split in the enemies forces and may have far-reaching results.
 The temper of the convention was plain from the beginning No one had word to offer in behalf of the bill. Home rule or nothing was the unanimous sentiment and the resolution rejecting the measure proposed by John E. Redmond command ed every vote. /The Irish parliamentar- fans had been deluged with resolutions from town councils and all sorts of of ficial and unofficial bodies since they ar rived in Dublin, all denouncing the bill. The country spoke in an unmistakable voice and the Irish members of parlia- ment cheerfully acquiesced in its will
 Three thousand delegates came here to attend the convention. The speeches were temperate and there was little denuncia- ton Of the government except for the outbreak of a priest who attempted to make the bill a church issue, was re- buked.
 Members of Parliament.
 of hn raPlrn6 with delegates from many societies and constituencies representing part of Ire land. The members of parliament were present in full force and many of the Catholic clergy were kept on the plat form.
 Seated beside MT. Redmond were the American delegates, John O'Callaghan, secretary Of the United Irish league; T. B. Fitzpatrick, treasurer of the league, and Patrick J. Timmins, a member of the executive committee of the league, a venerable man, who Is pointed out to every one as John Parnell; Richard Cro- ker, whose close-cropped beard is now completely white. and several bishops.
 Redmond PresIdes.
 MT. Redmond, who presided. was greet ed with great cheering when he rose to speak. His first words were:
 The heart of every Irishman in the world goes out to John Dillon in the hour of his great affiction.'
 A resolution of sympathy with MT. Dill lon in the loss of his wife was adopted, as was another for the widow of Michs Davitt, who died since the last conven- ton, and recalling Davitt's imprisonment for Irelands sake and "the part he bore in raising the Irish peasant from surf to a free man.
 Reads Irish Bill.
 MT. Redmond then read the resolution on the Irish bill, which was clamorously cheered, as follows:
 That this convention, representative of the Irish national opinion, which es- pecially places on record its sound con- viction that nothing can satisfy the Ma tional association of Ireland or bring peace and contentment to our people, but a measure of safe government which will give the Irish people complete control of their domestci affairs.
 - That while we have never wavered in our belief that 1t is impossible to pro- duce any logical or workable scheme for responsibility in Ireland, short of the concession of home rule in accordance WlLn a TeSOlullOn or Iu6 udllOndl ulitSloio of the 5th of February. 1907, and with the published declarations made from time to time on our behalf, we have been willing to give fair consideration to any scheme prepared by the British ministers which in their opinion would be consistent with and lead up to the larger policy to which they were pledged.
 That having considered the council bill introduced by the government we de- clare that 1t is utterly inadequate in it's scope and unsatisfactory in it's details and should be rejected by ths Irish na- tion, and we regard the production of such q measure by a British Sov"rn- ment, pledged to home rule, as conhrula- tion of the position we have always taken that any attempt to settle the Irish problem by half measures would be en- tire;y unsuccessful and we cal upon the Irish party to oppose the bill In the house of commons and pressure in the government with all their strength and power to introduce a measure for the es- Establishment of a native parliament with A responsible executive power over all purely Irish affairs, and at this crisis In the fortunes of Ireland. we invite all the nationalist forces of the country to unite in support of our representatives In par liament and enable them effectively to press for the speedy and genuine settle ment of the Irish question"
 Presents Views.
 In speaking, MT. Redmond first present. ed the views to which he and his col- leagues were committed to. On the other hand the farmers of the measure had re- fused his advice as to the only safe basis on which the proposed council could be found The Irish members of parliament were not committed to any part of the bill or to the government. They had vot- ed for its introduction in order to fulfill their promises and so that the govern ment's proposals might be submitted to convention. Summarizing his views, MT. Redmond asserted that the Brrel bill was not workable, and therefore would end in disgrace and disaster; its failure would be used as an argument against Ireland's capacity for self government, and It's operation would result in the de- moralization of the nationalist party and the existing unity which was Ireland's strongest weapon.
 Mir Redmond criticised the details of the financial and other features of the bill as being inadequate when compared with the great powers given to the lord lieutenant. Government by committees, he said, was unheard of. Knowing the British parliament he knew that it was useless to hope for more satisfactory measures.
 People talk of an alliance of the Irish party wit hthe liberals. The Irish party is independent: it can have an alliance with no English party that does not put home rule in the front of it's platform.