Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-05-13
HOME RULE is COMING SLOWLY
AND BY DEGREES.
PROMISE IN PRESENT BILL
Leaders Hope II Will Be Accepted as
a Stepping-Stone to Emancipation
Of the Emerald lsIe-BirrelI Hopes
for Moderate Success-Unsatisfac
tory to William Dillon.

London, May Sine government
yesterday presented its long awaited
Irish bill to the commons and coun-
try. The bill is designed to meet the
demands for Irish home rule. 1t was
presented by the chief secretary for
Ireland, BirrelL
Compared with the home rule bills
of 1886 and 1906. the measure confers
little self government upon Ireland
merely giving to the council the con
troll of this branch always has been a
aged by government boards The
council is to be appointed by the
crown, and while the lord lieutenant
OF Ireland is given power to nullifv
its measures, the crown retains con-
troll of five of the eight departments,
including the constabulary. The con
troll of this branch alays has been
thorn in the flesh of the Irish people.
The unionists regard the measure as
a step toward home rule. They OBJ
ject to giving to Ireland the manage
ment OF many of the departments of
local affairs while the Irish members
of the commons retain the right to
legisIate in similar affairs for Eng
land and Scotland They criticise
also the plan of government by a
council through eight committees as
complicated and cumbersome. The
radicals are disappointed that the
measure falls so short of actual home
rule and the Irish members are even
more disappointed with it. The Irish
leaders, however, are maintaining
diplomatic attitude until they have
time to study the provisions of the
bill and learn the sentiment of the
peCp'e.
After the bill had been presented
and explained by Birrell it was crit1-
cized and ridiculed by A. ]. Balfour
on behalf of the opposition. John E.
Redmond delivered a brilliant speech
noteworthy principally for its digni-
fed and forceful exposition of Ire
lands claims for complete home rule.
/ The audience of the speakers was
worthy of the historical and parlia-
n1entary occasion. The entire minis
Try occupied seats on the front
benches.
The floor of the house was packed
and the galleries held a notable as,
semblage, including number OF
peers, visiting colonial premiers, no
tably Alfred Deakin. premier of Aus
tralia and several bishops. w.
Bourke Cochran of New York was an
interested spectator. The nlembel S
of the Irish clergy were conspicuous
in the galleries. Most of Birrell's
speech was in explanation of the de-
tails of. the plan, although in begin
ming he eloquently contrasted his po-
,sition with that of Gladstone in pre-
senting home rule, calling his task
a more humble one and more com
mensurate with his position and pow
ers
BirreN rose to an oratorical height
when he described the present system
of Irish administration. He called
dublin castle a failure, saying:
There it stands remote, without
friend and melancholy while the cur
rent of Irish life sweeps past" No
governor had entered, he continued
''the gloomy portals of Dublin castle
without sinking heart almost equiv
alent to abandoning hope"
Birrell said that one way to govern
Ireland was to send a man there tc
hold the balance of all the parties and
administer the country in the spirit
of courage and independence, but the
government had no such man in its
EYE.
81 would rather write the biography
of a deceased autocraC," Birrel said
than live under his rule. Such men
do not make good history"
He said, however, that If the meas
lure showed itself workable, even with
moderate success, his party would
gladly accept it
Home Rule Bill Unsatisfactory.
Chicago, May Speaking of the
home rule bin introduced into the
British parliament yesterday, William
Dillon of this city said:
"The main objection to the scheme
is that it does not vest in the council
any power of appointing judges OF
the supreme court of the judicature
lat Dublin. nor any power over the
Dublin police or Irish constabulary
This defect IS so great in my opinion
THAT it is doubtful if the measure will
Ibe acceptable to the Irish parliamen,
tary party
John F. Finerty considered the
measure insufficient. 1T seems
lstrange he said, that Great Britain
should yield as much as she has done
to the formidable resistance of the
beers and so little to the peaceful eff
forts of the Irish. The inference is
THAT Great Britain worships force and
violence in matters of reform, and
holds in contempt those who seek
Iredress by more peaceful methods