Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-11
MACDONN[LL'S VIEWS
The Present Under Secretary
of ireland Talks.
PROSPERITY OF PEOPLE
Greater Than It Has Ever Been Be-
fore in Any Country.
THE plan OF DEVOLUTION''
Offered But Rejected by the Irish
Farty-Sir Anthony mcdonnell
Retiring on That Account.
BY WILLIAM z. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star
CHICAGO Record Herald

BY WILLIAM z. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and tn
Chicago Record Herald.
DUBLIN. July 5. 1903.
Sir Anthony Patrick MacDOnnell. undel
secretary for Ireland, and the actua
ruler of the country. received me yer,
cordially at his offices at Dublin Castle
when 1 presented a letter of introduction
from Mr. James Bryce, and talked frank
ly about the failure of the great scheme
Of "devolution" which he devised last
year for the welfare of his native coun
try and over which he had expended sc
much time and thought. Sir Anthony Is
convinced that the leaders of the 1rist
national party. in rejecting this plan
have made terrible mistake and have
done irreparable injury to the island
His disappointment at its rejection was
SO great that he has resigned his office
believing that his usefulness here is ended
He has had a long and useful career In
the public service. having served his
queen in India nearly all his life. and
being advanced grade after grade from ar
ordinary clerkship to the governorship OF
four different provinces in succession. He
intended to retire permanently when he
came back to England five years ago. but
accepted his present position. believing
that he could do something to benefit his
native land. He is confident that he has
accomplished a great deal even though
his ''devolution" plan to establish a ma
tional Irish council. with good measure
of home rule, has failed. His influence
was effective in the passage of the land
act. and in the legislation to transfer dis
tressed tenants from the congested dis
tricts to other parts of the island where
they can have farms large enough to sup.
port them, and to restore the evicted ten
ants from the homes from which they
have been driven. Sir Anthony takes
the same satisfactory view Of the STU
alton in Ireland as the Earl Of Aber-
deem, Mr.. Dillon, Mr. Harrington, Sir
Horace Plunkett. Mr.. W. F. Bailey and
others whom 1 have interviewed.
Own Their Own Homes and Farms.
More than one-fourth of all the far
mers in Ireland are now filling their own
SOIL" he said, land own the homes they
live in; and when the finances will allow
the purchases that have already been
agreed upon to be concluded, one-half Of
them will be SO situated Then, within
the next few years, ninety-five per cent
will own their farms and homes and
have the full benefit Of all their labor.
These farms consist of from thirty to
one hundred acres each, enough to give
the owners good living and a surplus
to sell in the market, and the government
has already undertaken through the
agency of the department of agriculture
to teach them how to cultivate the soil
to the best advantage and how to get
the largest possible reward for their
labor. The farmers of Ireland will be in
an Ideal situation in a few years. Instead
OF being oppressed by mercenary land
lords and exposed to every Ill wind that
blows. they will have the lowest possible
rentals to pay. only 311 per cent upon the
valuation of their property without count
Ing the improvements they make, and
those conditions are better, l dare say,
than are enjoyed by farmers in any other
land.
And last year we offered the people
practical home rule. We offered them
the control of their own affairs. their
public works. their finances, their schools.
their agricultural department, the official
patronage and everything except legisla-
ton. the judiciary and the police, and
they would not accept them.
why? Well. various reasons were as
signed Some of them thought the plan
was not practical; others thought it went
too far and gave too much; others con-
tended that it did not 60 far enough.
The politicians and the priests were both
against 1t. l have heard that some of
the leaders argued that its adoption would
deprive the national party of it's strong
est issue. but Of course that is merely
speculation. However they rejected the
proposition and l doubt If they will ever
get SO much again. The British parlia-
ment will never relinquish the right to
enact the laws that govern Ireland and
will not give up the courts and the con-
stabulary which are necessary for the
proper enforcement of those laws. 1t
will permit the Irish people to control
their own internal affairs. but 1t will not
hand over the judiciary or the legislative
authority
What England Gets Of the Revenues
There is great complaint because Eng
land gets so much of the revenues of
Ireland without giving anything in re-
turn?" l suggested.
THAT is a Misrepresentation" replied
Sir Anthony. ireland bears no more
than her just share of the imperial ex-
penses. Her revenues in round numbers
are tlO.JO.V0: her expenditures for all
purposes In round numbers are Ell 5OOWO
leaving balance of E3.0OOOOO. which is
the contribution Of Ireland to the expense
OF maintaining the British empire-her
contribution for the support of the army
ana the navy, the diplomatic service, the
postal service. the expenses of parliament
and the court. and to pay her share OF
the interest upon the imperial debt. Ire
land has no separate debt; all of the bond.
ed Obligations of the government are in
NDoh a. tllc time OF the union the
share OF Ireland was one to nine for the
rest OF the United Kingdom The COM
plant that the population has decreased
One-nal1 while the taxes have doubled is
perhaps true theoretically, but there has
been a great Improvement in the ability
OF the people to pay taxes. The condition
or ireland today is infinitely better than
II ever was before, and the ability of the
people to pay more than twice what they
were asked to pay In the beginning is nm
questioned. Ireland was never so pros.
porous as today; the people were never
so comfortable or contented
am retiring from office with a kindly
Keeling toward everybody" said Sir An.
thony MacDonnell. land with the salts.
faction OF feeling that I have done the
best i could for the welfare of the conn.
try. but l regret that the Irish leaders
could not accept what l believe to be fol
their eternal welfare. 1 am returning tc
England very shortly and am giving UT
public responsibilities entirely. but | ex
pect to spend a good deal of time in Ire
land and shall have a deep interest in
everything that occurs here"
The "Plan Of Devolution."
The Plan of devolution," as it wa.
called. was embodied in what is known
as the Irish council bill, prepared very
largely by Sir Anthony Macdonald. and
introduced in parliament by the chief sec.
rotary for Ireland>about year ago This
plan gave the lord lieutenant practically
as much power as Is now exercised by the
President OF the United States and pro.
vided for council of 1O7 members te
serve four years. 81 members, to be elect
ed by the people from the several parlia.
mentary districts in proportion to popu.
lation: ~ members. to be nominated by
the king. end member the chief secre
QtVan Ia ri ~