The Irish standard., 1908-05-02
The University Question, Long Under Dis
cussion, Appears to be Now Ger
tain of Settlement.
Future Of Trinity College, Says a Dublin
Correspondent, is Not Of Very
Promising Mature.

A great many people are now begin
ming to realize what should have been
evident from the beginning, that the
Liberals are only in a position to deal
with minor Irish reforms at present
says John II. Hutchinson, the WELL
known newspaper correspondent, in
a letter from Dublin under date of
April Is.
Home Rule was not put forward at
the last general election, partly be-
cause the Liberals did not care to take
any risks, and also because the Irish
people made no attempt to force the
question to the front. They were con-
tent to believe that large Install
ment Of Homo Rule would be granted
The Councils Bill was not gener-
Gus installnent to offer, but IT did not
get fair consideration in Ireand. Last
year the present writer vcntured the
opinion that the rejection of the bill
was q mistake. Now that opinion is
held by many people who then
thought otherwise. The policy Of TAX
ing what you can get and looking for
more has common sense to recommend
1T. This was the policy that succeeded
in freeing the Irish peasants from the
yoke of lnndortlisn. The first Irisi,
land bill did not give everything Ire
land asked for. But they gave some
thing, and that something was accept
ed and made a lever to secure further
reforms. We know the result today
If the first measures of land reform
had been rejected as insufficient, Just
as the Councils Bill was last year, the
Irish farmers would still be in the
wilderness. Happily that is not so
They asked for and were entitled to-
Il full measure of justice. When an
installment came along, they took il.
like sensible men, for what It was
worth. ana found, as they anticipated
that it was good as far as 1t went, and
~ stepping stone to something better
Tho Irish Councils Bill was reject
asm by the general body Of Irish MAJ
tionalists. 1t is well understood that
tile leaders of the Irish party wcro
prepared to accept it, but seeing tho
turn public opinion was taking, they
gave way. One strong man might
have saved tic situation, but no voice
was raised for accepting the bill that
would have given ireland control of
several important public departments,
and the management Of primary educa-
ton. ...
The instHIImcnt or Home Rule was
tho whole. AMI nowhere is nothing.
do not say that Home Rule is
dead. But as fnr Az the present Par
lament is concerned, it is over and
done with. 1t remains for tho Irish
people to force the issue to the front.
a change in Irish Castle administers
tiOn is lneVltaDlc. IL may even be
achieved by the Conservative party
when they return to power, for the
Tories have a habit Of granting re-
forms while denying the necessity for
them. The Irish Local Government
Act of 1893 is a notable instance.
When the next measure of reform is
proposed for Ireland, venture to pre-
dict that it will not meet the fate of
the Councils Bill.
In one important question affecting
Ireland the Liberals appear to have
hit the mark satisfactorily. The Uni
versity question appears to be certain
Of settlement at last. The proposals
put forward by Mr.. Birrell on behalf
of the government have met with the
approval OF all parties in the House
Of Commons, except one. Liberals,
Radicals and Tories join together on
the question, in order to remedy an
educational grievance in Ireland by
giving proper university facilities to
those who cannot accept Trinity Col