The Irish standard., 1911-09-09
Explains his Idea of the Number OF
Members Which Should Consti-
tute the New Body.
Will be in Touch With the Country
and Alive to it's Legislat-
i've Needs.
Present Parliament, Even Were it
Well Disposed, Has no Time .
for Irish Affairs.

The possibility of the early forma-
tion of an Irish Parliament has
emerged sufficiently from the realm of
speculation to cause the reporters Of
the big English dailies to seek for Mr..
John Redmond's views on the mat
ter. A representative OF the London
Daily Mail recently had an interview
with the Irish leader in which Mr..
Redmond said
II believe the working of an Irish
Parliament would be a great surprise
to the people of this country. 1t
would be very unlike what they an
ticipate. There would be a great deal
OF sober business and very few fire
works. In sense there would be less
politics than at present. Every cleo
ton in Ireland is now fought upon a.
question of high and almost abstract
politics, whether she shall be governed
by Great Britain. Even county and
municipal elections turn often upon
that. Once you get Home Rule that
question disappears.
I-,--"Menp, will divide. according to their
respective ideas, not as to whether
Ireland shall govern herself, but as
to how she shall govern herself. The
questions arising will be concrete, such
as: Shall the railways of the coun.
try be nationalized or shall they not?
How much money can profitably be
spent on drainage? How best shall
our educational systems be brought
up to date? These are matters ;pon
winch the Irish nation would be di-
Vlded. But the division would not
coincide by any means with the pres
ent lines Of cleavage. No doubt the
first Parliament elected in Ireland
would be elected more or less on the
present lines. People would vote ac-
cording to their previous associations.
Ihls apples both to the North and
South. But in the North and South
alike there are very strong political
elements which at present have little
Parliamentary representation. Bel
fast and the district around it are far
more radical than any other part of
Ireland; North does not make itself
| adequately felt in the present House
| OF Commons any more than the ele-
| ments Of Conservatism present in the
South and West"
What do you suggest should be the
size of the proposed Irish Parlia-
ment?"
"This is quite an open question, but
| | would like to see the present num-
| ber-namely 103-increased, and in
| that increase chance would be
found for bringing in the new ele-
| ments without sacrificing old claims.
| Under present conditions no business
man and no professional man can
work efficiently without injuring his
business or his profession. That. of
course, is for mere geographical rea-
sons: the time occupied in travelling
from Ireland to London and the isola-
ton of one from the other. Yet every
body in Ireland would like to see more
~ nj firpo
and we should undoubtedly get them.
! We should get them from Dublin, we
should get them from all the big
towns; for Cork is little more than
four hours distant from Dublin, and
Belfast less than three hours; and l
do not suppose our Irish sessions
would be so long as the sessions in
England-certainIy not so long as they
have been of late.
| proportional representation has
| been suggested in a remarkable letter
from Lord Courtney. The end which
Lord Courtney desires I desire and we
all desire. We want thorough rep
| reSentatlOn OIL all tle elements OIL lrlSn
| life. Whether the machinery he sug-
gests is the best way to attain this
end I am doubtful; but il I were sure
that proportional representation were
the best means Of securing an ade-
auate political influence for the Union