The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-02


il the landlords are mad enough to re-
jeot the Irish Land Bill, will advise
the Irish people to take vigorous ac-
ton this winter, and l will not only
advise them, but I will be in the front
rank in conducting the campaign
(cheers). But it is our duty to see
that the Land Bill is passed, if pos
sible. Some of the critics of the Irish
Party have been asking us why have
we not thrown out the government.
Well, to begin with, the government
have majority of about two hundred,
Independent of our votes; but, even if
we could tomorrow throw out the gov
ernment, are we to do the work of the
House Of Lords? Are we to defeaS this
Irish Land Bill ourselves? (Cries of
No, no.D. No; we will do our best to
carry it. If it is defeated, it will not be
by any action Of ours, but by the action
OF the House Of Lords, and then they
will have to face Ireland (hear, hear).
"Now, on another subject. All
through the last few months we have
been engaged in an effort to mitigate
the hardships which will fall upon Ire
land owing to the provisions of the
new Budget. Believe me, that the posi-
ton was for us an extremely difficult
and an extremely delicate one. We
had enormous forces against us. We
were told to rely upon the Tories, to
join hands with them on every part
of the Budget. We refused to do that
because we didn't believe if we Joined
hands with them in opposing the taxes
Ireland, which are just taxes, that we
could rely upon them to join hands with
us in exempting Ireland from unjust
taxes. What has happened? The
other day moved in the House of
Commons a motion to exempt Ireland
from all these new license duties. Ev-
cry Tory in the House of Commons
voted against me, and where would we
have been if we had been guilty of
the childish folly of having helped the
Tories to kill the taxes on the ground
landlords-thoses. taxes that we. ap-
proved of-and then found ourselves on
the question Of licensing taxation of
Ireland absolutely deserted by the same
men? (Hear, hear.) Some people criti-
cised our action. Now, let me say this
to you that we have been for weeks
and months carrying on campaign
to amend and improve the Budget from
the Irish Party view. We have already
succeeded to a great extent. We have
got the Land Taxes entirely taken off
all agricultural land in Ireland. We
have already obtained a promise from
the government that SO far as the liz
censing duties are concerned there will
be a difference made between England
and Ireland. AS to the Land Tax, we
are trying to abolish it altogether. So
far we have failed, but they have
promised that the tax will be sub
stantially less in Ireland than it is to
he in England. We have obtained q
concession to the system Of valuation,
for this tax shall be the old system Of
Grifhth's valuation instead of the new
English system, and on the questions
of the death duties, the stamp duties.
fho yhfclrov fovoS nfhor TO
we are engaged at this moment in en-
deavoring to obtain mitigations Of this
Budget for Ireland, but our efforts have
been hampered, our efforts have almost
been destroyed by the action of some
representatives Of the Irish people
(cries of Shame" and "Kick them
out'), who desire to minimize every
thing that we have got in the way of
concessions-who,b by showing that we
have been fooled by the Government
and deceived by the Government, and
sold by the Government, absolutely de-
sire to prevent our efforts bearing any
good fruit. We will do our best you
may rest assured, and when you find
men here and there criticising what
we are doing, all I ask you to re11em-
ber is this, that we are on the field of
hattie. We from day to day know how
the currents are running. We are not
fools. We are not knaves. And there
fore the patriotic thing for you to do
is to say: We believe they are doing
their best We believe they are men
CT intelligence. We believe they are
men of honor, and we will not listen to
men who desire, while the conflict is
going on, to make flank movement Of
attack upon Them" (Cheers.) Let us
conclude this great gathering by un-
covering our heads, and, in the pres
ence of O'Meagher Condor, raise to
heaven with united voice his prayer
God Save Ireland" cloud cheers)