Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-07
IRISH LEADERS
IN KEEN CONTEST
ALL PARTICIPATING BOUND TO
SECRECY
Fight Over Provisions of Council Bill
Is Bitterly Wased by English
Cabinet and Home Rule
Members
By Associated Press.

By Associated Press.
LONDON, May 6.-With negotiations
extending up to the last moment and
all participating in them bound to Sc
crecy, little is known as to the pro-
visions of the Irish council bill, the
main proposals of which Augustin Bir-
rell, chief secretary for Ireland, prom
ised to explain in the house of COM
mons on May Z.
There has been q keen contest in
the cabinet between the Home Rulers,
represented by Sir Henry Camp
bell Bannerman, and the Anti-Home
Rulers, led by Herbert Asquith,
chancellor of the exchequer, and Rich
ard Haldane, secretary for war, with
the Home Rulers desirous of giving
Ireland at least foundation for self
government and Messrs. Asquith and
Haldane demanding that the bill shall
not bear any resemblance to home rule.
Mr. Asquith has gone so far as to
say that il the bill contains anything
in letter or in spirit inconsistent with
or in violation of the pledges he has
made against home rule he will resign
and there is little doubt that he would
be followed BY Mr.. Haldane and proba-
bly, other members of the cabinet.
John Redmond has taken a promi-
nent part in the negotiations. The
laborites all of whom are Home
Rulers have been supporting the Ma
tionalists but even this would not
justify Sir Henry Campbell Banner
man losing two members of his cabinet
in whom the people have the greatest
confidence.
Faced with the impossibility of OBJ
tanning an Irish parliament with an
executive responsibility to it, Mr.. Red
mond is carrying on the fight to get as
large an installment of home rule as
is possible, and it is announced that
If this scheme lays a foundation on
which Ireland can build, the National
lists will consider whether it was worth
accepting.
Conference Held Saturday
Mr.. Redmond had a conference Sat-
urday with his chief advisers, includ-
ing John Dillon, Edward Blake and T. !
P. O'Conner, when the government
proposals and the attitude the Ma
tionalists would adopt were discussed.
This will be followed by convention
at Dublin during the Whitsuntide re-
cess, when the question will be gone
over and the Irish members of parlia-
ment will be instructed as to the II
course they shall pursue. There is no
doubt Mr.. Redmonds advice will be
closely followed. What action will be
NohSils anu IL IL VIII
those taken into the confidence of the
leaders will not say, they having been
bound to secrecy.
The only expression of opinion OBJ
tainable was from a Conservative
member of the house of commons, who
said:
II think the bill will be found to be 4
fairly favorable" indicating that while
the Nationalists are far from salts II
fled they realize that Mr.. Birrell has
gone as far as possible without re-
quiring a disruption of the govern
ment and will accept the bill as
start toward self-government.
In Liberal circles it is admitted that
1t cannot be what the Irishmen de-
sire or what the English Home Rulers
believe will be for the best. This,
too, despite the opportuneness of the
time when Gen. Botha, head of the
new transvaal government is making
such good impression in England. III
and the Orange River colony, which
vas also in arms against Great Britain
4 few years ago. was about to be
granted constitution.
Pointed Question Asked
IF the colonies can be trusted to
govern themselves, why not Ireland?"
S one of the arguments of the Home III
Rulers, but this far it has not been
affective and the best authorities say
Mr.. Birrell's bill will not even touch Il
he question of constitution
The most sanguine only hope for
measure giving administrative power
through control of expenditure to an
rish council, which will be predomi-
lantly elective, all the Irish members
+ commons being members, thus OBJ
rating the necessity for separate elec-
ions.
The Unionists will be represented by
nominative element. Even this ad-
power, it is anticipated,
will be limited, excluding, it is said,
ontrol over the lord lieutenancy, the
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