Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
AIM OF THE Sim FE|N
New Patriotic Movement of
the Irish Described.
IDEA COMES FROM HUNGARY
Strengthening Ireland by Promotion
of Its Prosperity.
PLAN OF PASSIVE RESISTANCE
Grounding the Children in the Prin.
ciples of the Campaign-Work
of Poets and Writers.
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.


Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald
Mrs. William r. Cook OF Hastings.
Mich. asks about the new patriotic move
ment called Sim Fem. in Ireland. and
the prospects for legislation in the Brit
sh parliament for home rule.
The kings speech at the opening of
parliament the other day contains two
promises to concilItate the Irish nation
alists. He pledges his ministers to present
10 the house of commons what is hoped
will be a satisfactory project for the
Improvement and extension of univer-
sty education in Ireland. and also an
amendment to the Irish land purchase
act which will permit the compulsory
ACQUISITION of untenated lands now used
for grazing purposes in order that they
may be allotted to the land hungry.
Mr.. Asuuith. chancellor of the eXche-
cquer. in reply to a question in the house
of commons. announced that the govern
ment( had no intention of relntroduclng
the bill of last session providing for
an IrSh\ council to regulate local affairs
and to sit at Dublin as a considerable
advance toward automy and home rule.
The disposition of the government to-
ward the present disturbances was eX-t
planned in the house of commons by Mr..
declared that the government will not
enforce what is known as the crimes
act against the leaders of the current
disturbances. He said that While he
loathed boycotting. he believed that the
causes of existing disaffection could be
amiablv removed and that the govern
ment proposed to continue its present
efforts to secure the good Will or the
Irish people. He ventured the opinion
that there never would be peace IN Ire
land until 10 untenated lands were
divided among those who need them.
A similar policy was recently advocated
in the house of lords by Earl Dudley, a
conservative who was lord lieutenant of
Ireland from 1902 to 1905. He declared
himself against coercion. and said that
the liberal government was not going far
enough in its conciliatory measures. He
asserted that the only solution of the
Irish question was In correcting the
defects in the present system of admins
tration, and furnishing remedy for the
evils compla ined of. He predicted that
such a policy would meet with cordial
response from the people of that dis
tracted island.
No Home-Rule Bill.
Thus it is certain that nothing Will be
done toward home rule during the pres
ent session of parliament. although the
liberal government now in power is prac-
ticaly pledged to it-at least its leaders
are. Mr.. Campbell Banne rman. the prime
minister. has declared himsel0 home
ruler again and again; several other
members of his ministry have been equal
ly outspoken. and no liberal leader has
spoken against it. The liberal party has
presented two home rule bills in the past.
Both of them were defeated. and 1t is
expected that a third bill will be made an
issue at the next general election.
The lob Irish members of parliament
are themselves divided upon the question,
twenty-five being opposed to home rule
and eighty-one in favor of it. But the
eighty-one cannot unite upon any definite
policy or any detailed plan Of government.
which makes legislation the more difficult.
There are several political parties in Ire
land which agree upon the general prin
ciple but differ as to the degree of indie
pendence they want. The land war has
broken out again. but it is not so fierce
as it was from 1879 to 1882. and boycotting
has been revived as a weapon Of offense
and defense.