The Irish standard., 1910-12-03
CONSTITUTIONAL
STRUGGLE COh|kG
Democracy of the Three Kingdoms
to Decide the Fate of the
House of Lords.
From the Irish Standpoint the
Present Crisis is Eminent
ly Satisfactory.
The Coming Elections Will Leave
the Party in the Finest
Fighting Trim.

For the past week or two the news
papers were full Of rumors as to the
probable result of the veto confer
ence, says the Dundalk Democrat. All
sorts of conflicting statements were
made ION good authority" Not only
had the parties agreed on the sub
ject of the House of Lords, but they
had agreed on what sort of Home Rule
should be given to Ireland, and had
even agreed to force their agreement
, down the throats of the Irish party if
told by one Irish journal. Yesterday
we had the authoritative announce
ment that the conference had failed to
come to any agreement at all and had
accordingly dissolved This of course
leaves the situation where it was six
months ago. 1t will! mean the resump-
ton of hostilities on the part of the
government against the veto Of the
House of Lords. 1t will mean gen.
eral election imlncdiately-or, at least,
in the first month of the new year
The Liberals cannot, after all their
brave defiance Of the hereditary legis-
lators, meeAly accede to the lords re-
tanning their present absurd powers.
They must call on the democracy of
the three Kingdoms to say once and
for all whether they are content to be
ruled by an unreprcsentative and IT.
responsible collection of men with
titles. And competent judges of the
trend of political feeling in England
say that from a general election at the
new year the Liberals will emerge VIC
torious, with the peoples mandate to
sweep away the arbitrary veto of the
lords, and thus to clear the way for
Home Rule. We have no doubt what
ever that a straight fight to finish
on these questions will be better for
Ireland than any agreement that Nigh,
have been come to between the par
Ties TO inc conference.
The Liberal party entered into the
conference against the Judgment of
many of it's leaders and against the
outspoken protests of the rank and file.
The irish party never looked upon
any good result from it. It's failure
was predicted by Mr. Redmond in his
very first speech in America, when he
foretold an election in January. From
the Irish standpoint the present crisis
is eminently satisfactory. A possible
agreement between the leaders of the
course, have deprived the Irish of the
!, power they at present possess. A COM
promise agreed to between the govern
ment and the opposition on the sub
ject Of Home Rule could have been
carried into effect despite the pro-
tests of the Irish. That danger--if in
with. We are back where we were
five months ago. We are on the eve
of the biggest constitutional strug-
gle that has been Waged in England
for two hundred years-a struggle be
tween the democracy on the one hand
: and an archaic and utterly illogical
class privilege on the other; and clear
judges of the situation have no doubt
: as to the issue.
; The only question that remains in
doubt is as to the date Of the in
evitable general election. Some peo-
against that. Nobody wants the peace
of Christmastide disturbed by a poll
tical contest, and especially by one sc
bitter and relentless as this will be
: Besides it is advisable to have the
! election on the new register which
l will come into operation at the new
l year. 1t is more than probable that
: the appeal to the people will not be
3 made till January. Though an at.
! tempt will probably be made to defer
= it until after the coronation, the ranl
: and file of the Liberal party will as.
: suredly not listen to any such pro.
4 posal. They have risked enough b!
3 delay.
Here in Ireland there will no doub