New-York tribune., 1910-11-14
THE CONFERENCE
Amphictyons Outside federal
System-Veto.
London. November 2.

stitutionaI relations Of the two houses
was attempted by a secret council o.
eight. Without waiting for an authentic
report of the success or failure Of this
remarkable experiment. the press Of all
parties has been cIamoring for larger
and more representative conference for
the rearrangement and regulation Of the
relations of the four sections of the
United Kingdom and Of the constituent
elements of federated empire
There is a joyous and irresponsible
revel of what the Prime Minister de-
scribes as the purest guesswork Gov
ernment by round table agreement IL
substituted for government by Psrlia-
ment under the eyes OF the general cleo
torate An inconvenient appeal 70 th.
country is indefinitely deferred: the nlost
momentous questions affecting the king
dom and the empire are jumbled to-
gether in general settlement; and there
is a lively and picturesque masquerad.
of factions in the costumes and regalia
of their opponents. How long will it be
before the newspapers are arranging a
concordat for the universe?
In the new parliament by newspaper
Lord Northcliffe naturally exercises
dominating influence. Mr. Garvin IS his
principal propa gandist with a fervfd dis
course every Sunday in The Observer.
and his homilies are Tivalled in length
and in zeal by the letters of "Pacificus''
master of poIemics has not been authorf-
tatfvely disclosed At the outset ne gas
taken to be Lord Esher. writing as 2
confidential adviser of the King in the
interest of political peace: but this idea
was abandoned when he became the IN
disguised advocate of the O'Brien move
ment in Ireland. Lord Dunraven has
also been credited with the authorship
of these letters. but this assumption was
dismissed when he began TO write art.-
cles over his own signature for other
Journals The Diceys have also been
mentioned as trained controversialists
capable of conducting the discussion Of
Federalism and Home Rule with dignity
and cogency; but the writer is probably
a younger journalist, I'm sympathy with
MIR. Garvin and conversant with recent
Irish affairs.
Between them these two able con-
troversiaIists have received from Lord
NorthcIiffe commission for prolonging
the political armistice and organizing u
new conference. I'm which Home Rule all
around shall be the principal issue. The
Unionist press. with q few prominent ex-
ceptfons. such as "'The Daily Telegraph h
has followed their lead \ premature
election. which would inevitably prove
indecisive. has been deprecated. An en-
Iarged and more representative confer
ence has been advocated as q patriotic
and statesmanlike course.
The Liberal editors. reassured by the
concession that their opponents could
not reasonably expect TO carry the elee-
tions in January. have Joined heartily in
this newspa per conference for the settle
ment OF all outstanding constitutional
| issues. They have not needed 10 COM
nit themselves to any definite COmpro-
mise since all the projects have come
| from Unionist sources and nobody of
| light and leading on their own side has
| become a peace prOpagandist 1t was
their privilege to stand and look on az
an experience meeting when Cnionists
were procIaiming that they had always
| been Home Rulers in their own way and
Little Englanders with a few court cards
up their sleeves; and some of them infu-
enCed by the frenzy for reconciliation
and peace have declared their own will
/ ingness as Radicals TO have a final fling
as imperiansts after federalism had
!
kingdom
! AS the time approaches for unmasking
and settling down to the realities of pub
| lie life az Westminster there is an IN
easy feeling on all sides that everybody
has been credulous and that some of the
| party veterans have seen men as trees
walking" This is concealed by the
harmless generalization that an atmos-
! phere has been created for constitutional
reform.
| While all this fun has been going on
/ at the fair the O'Brien faction has been
| championed by Lord Northclffe's chief
propa gandists. Home Rule on the lines
| Of federalism is what its leaders are pre-
pared to accept while the RedmonditaA
with their war chest filled by genercns
contributions from America and Can
ada, are standing out for ParnelrS priH-
/ ciples. O'Brien and Iiealy will be satlS-
| fed with a legislature similar 70 that OF
/ Ontario in the federal system of the Do
| minion of Canada. and UnionistS hss
/ "PacifCus" and Mr.. Garvin are ready"
make the grant and To suppement F"
with Home Rule for Scotland and Wales
! on corresponding lines.
With the land rapidly passing into the
possession of the tenants by purCnsSs
with government credit. Ulster offers the q
: only difficulty. and that does not seem
| insuperable when the new class Of peas
ant proprietOrs is showing indications o.
| conservatism and PrOtestantS and Catn-
Olics are working heartily together m
/ local government Lord NOrthchneS
/ IieutenantS are bent upon strengthenihs
the alliance between Unionists anu
O'Brien's faction in Ireland. Tney az
not making any concession 10 the niai"
| body of NatiOnalists. nor are they TO
moving the prejudices OF Unionis'
| against federalism.
| The peacemakers are maladroh N'
| playing with one Irish faction and dri'-
/ ing the other into opposition. They aEo