Arizona republican., 1909-12-14
Both Irish and Women Win

That the next parliament will grant home rule to Ireland, and that the claims of British women to the ballot will be considered. was announced by Premier Asquith at a great meeting in London, the other night
 There is this material difference between the practical politics of this country and of England: the promises of the successful party leaders are always carried out in Engalnd. It is a certainty. therefore, that liberal vic tory will be followed by home rule for Ireland, and by parliamentary dis cussion, at least, of the equal suffrage question.
 It is in the nature of an anti-climax that Ireland. after a century of agita- tion, after long periods of violence, and after numberless campaigns of angry discussion, is to achieve home rule as a merely incidental develop ment of British politics. Home rule was not even discussed in the par liament which was dissolved few days ago. and the session just ended was devoted to questions of reform in taxation. To be sure, home rule has been a nominal part of the liberal creed-or at least of a section of the liberal party-ever since Gladstone's disastrous campaign on that issue. But the crushing defeat administered to the party by the voters of England. Scotland and Wales when the question of home rule was presented to them squarely. served to relegate the ques- tion to the political lumber room. The matter of fact manner in which the British premier has announced that justice to Ireland is to be part of his party program in the next parliament will scarcely satisfy the Irish love for the dramatic, but will be none the less gratifying to patriotic Irishmen and their friends throughout the world
 s rule as part of the reform program indicates, of course. a very solid confidence on the part of the liberals in their certainty of victory; for it cannot be doubted that many voters who are otherwise friendly to liberal principles are distinctly opposed to Irish aspirations. At any other time such a bold announcement of this radical purpose might easily have as- sured a victory to the conservatives. But the fatuous opposition of the lords to the tax reform features of the bud get has apparently left no room for the liberals to lose. So that, follow . ing the elections of next month, the most comprehensive reform policy that modern England has heard of will be inaugurated: a policy which will in clude practical abolition of the house of lords as a responsible legislative body and which will have the effect of making the government of the United Kingdom as republican in form as that of the United States; policy which will shift the burdens of tax ation to the shoulders of the rich; d policy which will embrace old age pensions for the poor; a policy which will lift Ireland at last to the self respecting status of a self governing country, and a policy which means at least a friendly consideration of equal suffrage.
 It should be understood, of course. that Premier Asquith does not pro- pose to detach Ireland from the Unit ed Kingdom. Englishmen will never consent to Irish Independence. and it is to be doubted, indeed, whether any considerable number of intelligent Irishmen any longer even desire to set up an independent nation. What is proposed is such form of local self-goverment as will enable the Irish to control strictly Irish affairs-the home rule that Parnell fought for.
 The reference of the premier to equal suffrage was in guarded Ian guage, but it's significance cannot be misunderstood when it is recalled that parliament in 1907 peremptorily re- jected a woman's suffrage bill. As stated by MT. Asquith:
 "The woman suffrage question is clearly one upon which the next house of commons must pass an opinion
 The leaders of the suffrage party accept this statement as a surrender of the liberals to their demands. They have always claimed that their suc- cess will surely follow a discussion of the question in parliament
 We hesitate to venture an< opinion