The Irish standard., 1910-01-08

dukes, marquises, and other of the
belted and gartered unemployed. But
he is, a mere lord. He can never dis
guise himself, despite all his efforts, as
1.-The Genius of Ireland Weeping over
the Ruins of the National movement"
He will vote, as, no doubt, is natural,
to save the pockets and the privileges
of his class, but let him, at least,
silence.
His structures on the land bill are an
oft-told tale. 1t is characteristic that
with so much to say on other matters,
he has not one word to say on con-
gestion. His interest is not in ,conges-
ton, but in cash. Give his landlord
friends another four of five years pur-
chase, and all will be forgiven. Land
purchase, says Lord Dunraven, is dead
If a bill passes which relieves the Irish
rates Of the flotation loss on s25.O0O,-
900, and which gives 100000 year to
the congested districts. No; land pur-
chase is not dead, but land purchase
at Wyndham prices is dead, and there
are no tears in Ireland for it's grave.
Land purchase at just prices must take
its place.
I am not going to follow Lord Dun
raven in his borrowed and unoriginal
criticism of details of the Budget. Mr..
Redmond's answer has been given and
1t stands. agree that the exact amount
of the fresh taxation does not affect the
principle involved. Half a crown ex-
ira would carry with it the same
violation of justice and the same breach
of the act of union as half million.
But what is the remedy? You cannot
save Ireland from overtaxation by fight
ing this or that Budget. You can save
her only by changing the political sys-
TEN which extends British Budgets to
Ireland. Are we seriously asked to
seek refuge from over-taxation in the
Tories? The Tories deny the whole
case for taxation. The Tories
have for the very base of their posi-
ton the act of union, which automati-
cally extends this Budget to Ireland,
as it has extended every Budget of the
last century.
The Tories during their last ten
years of office, which saw the publica-
ton of the financial relations report,
increased the taxation of Ireland from
s3S,451,725 in 1ss4-5 to $51,O25,O 900 in
1923, and after the war to $4s, $50, 900
in 1904-5. And Lord Dunraven was a
Tory all the time. Liberal budgets
are bad enough in all conscience, when
they have passed through the alembic
OF Lord Dunraven's act of union. But
with the Tories back. but with an
other batch Of Dreadnoughts on the
stocks, with a war with Germany i'm
minent, with fifty rings of English
manufacture bawling and bribing their
way to protection, we should look in
vain for that tariff reform millennium
to which Lord Dunraven chants his
hymn of praise. I repeat that the
remedy for over-taxation must be- not
fiscal, but political The word Of the
hour is not English tariff reform, but
Irish home rule.
AS for the attacks on the Irish par
ty. they are to me matter of the
deepest satisfaction. When you have
made-as, in the case of Lord Dun
raven, | have made-due discount for
the personal equation of the critic,
what does it all come to? Simply
this; that the enemies Of home rule
recognize that the Irish party holds a
stronger position at this moment than
it has held for many a long year. The
people of Ireland are good critics, but
they are better politicians. They know
us, and they know our assailants. Only
a party deeply rooted in the confidence
of the nation could issue such a chal-
half by Mr.. Redmond. We appeal to
the people, and we shall come through
the turmoil OF the general election with
numbers undiminished, and bound in a
deeper unity. 80
In Great Britain opinion varies as to
who will win. But all opinion agrees
that 1t will be very close election
and small majority. Eighty Irish votes
were of little numerical significance
in the Parliament of 1906 In the Par
Lament of 1910 they will be of su-
preme Importance. With but q little
luck Mr.. Redmond will hold the bal
ance of power. 1t is his word, and that
of Ireland. that will decide between
free trade and tariff reform. He holds
a position of absolute Independence
The price of our support is plain
obvious, and irreducible. It is home
rule, with full control Of Irish legisla