The Irish standard., 1910-09-03
QUESTIONS NOW
FACED BY BR|T0Ns
Tariff is One of the Leading Issues
on Which the Coming Fight
Will be Made.
The Land Problem and Payment of
Members of Parliament
Closely Follow.
Ireland, Well Pleased With the Out
look, Keeps Silent on Present
Affairs.

Politicians rest, but politics does not
says T. P. O'Connor, M. p, in a letter
cabled to the Chicago Tribune August
9th.
In the week just ended three mo-
mentous questions-namely, the tariff,
land settlement, and payment of the
members Of parliament-were rushed
to the front and once more brought
England face to face with the most
vital problems.
The simultaneous revolt against the
high cost Of living in all parts of the
world, due to the shortness of crops
and the exaggerated tariffs, which
have produced outbreaks of alarm in
Austria, Germany and France, has had
it's echo in England. The English free
phenomenon and challenge the high
tariff men ana the Tory party to sup
ply the answer.
This rising tide against the high
tariff party in England is further aug
mented by the revolt of western Cam
ada against Premier Laurier's high
tariff policy and-it is affected also by
the events in America connected with
Roosevelt's disturbing personality.
Depend on Land Question.
Driven back from their high tariff
entrenchments, the Tories now seek a
second line Of defense on the land
question. They are trying on the one
hand to embarrass the operation of
LloydGeorge's land taxes by appeals
to the universal disinclination to pay
the new taxes and the almost equally
great disinclination to prepare returns
for the tax gatherer. Some land
agents even propose to start a move
ment Of passive resistance against
making any returns.
On the other hand the Tories have
come out, one after another, every day
with some new scheme to create small
land owners in England and Scotland
One Tory suggests that the land
should be bought by the state and re-
sold, as in Ireland. Another proposes
that the soldier, sailor and police pen
sioners should gets plots Of land for
nothing. In short, the whole army of
land monopolists is in a desperate
panic and in full flight.
Labor Party Still Insistent.
AS to the third question, namely, the
payment Of members of parliament,
which has come with lightning rapid
ity to the front, the Labor party still
demands legislation to restore the right
of trade unions to make compulsory
levy for the payment of members of
parliament and for other political pur-
poses. But such a drastic proposal is
not likely to obtain the support of the
ministry and probably the Liberals and
the Laborites will combine on the pay
ment of members of parliament by the
state as the first installment of the
right Of the trade unionists, though
probably this proposal will not be
passed in the present parliament.
It remains possible that the difficult
. ties of the Labor party from their al
most complete extinction of funds and
their pressure in turn on the ministry
may rush the question and force it in
the next session.
Ireland In the meantime looks on
phlegmatically. She sees the land sys-
tenn for which she fought seven cen
turies now acclaimed as the only solu-
ton by the English and Tory party,
who resisted Ireland's fight all along.
Ireland similarly regards the payment
Of members with serene detachment,
having nearly sso,ooo already sub
scribed this year by her people for the
support of the parliamentary move
ment and the prospect Of perhaps dou-
BILE that sum from the coming tour Of
John Redmond and his colleagues in
the United States and Canada
Game Laws Rule House.
The different leaders of parliament
are taking their holidays still, each
after his own fashion.