Putnam patriot., 1911-03-17
The Irish Issue Plainly Stated.

| put. l was, that fl they voted for the Liberal party, ifthey voted for the cur tailment or the House of Lords, they were, in effect, voting for Home Rule" Premier Asquith.
 Replying to the anti Home Rule amendment Of Ian Malcolm to the 1 Kings Address in the House Of Com mons, .on Feb. 18th, Prime Minister A.qailh said:
 "I have always said, and l repeat, that the case of Ireland Is a case para mount in urgency and importance, and l believe 1t is the policy which pre- sented to the country on behalf Of my friends and supporters at the last Gen. ersl Election, that we can only arrive at a satisfactory solution Of this stand ing problem by creating in Ireland an Irish Parliament and sn Irish Execu- tive responsible To that Parliament to deal with purely Irish affairs. NIT. Malcolm's amendment was defeated by a majority of 1l3.
 sI have been relieved of a considera- ble part Of the duty which thought might have fallen upon me by the ab- senee in both speeches Mir. Malcolm's and that Of Lord Hugh Cecil of topics which, during the course of the general election, bulked very largely on the platform and in the press of the coun- try.
 " We have heard very little in the course of these speeches of the charge that, for the sake of Home Rule, the Liberal party had submitted to the die tation Of body of politicians financed by foreign gold. l know that some people say that the question Of Home Rule for Ireland was not in any sense before the electors at the last election. l shall be obliged, before sit down, to quote one or two passages from speech es of my own and other persons which may efIeclually dispose of that fallacy.
 "But how does il lie in the mouths of the party which authorized the ex
 
 the country that famous placard: Are British votes going to be bought with American gold?' How does il lie in their mouths to say that the electors of this country, wten they gave their votes last December, had not before their eyes and their minds the ques- ton of Home Rule
 II confess think it was a very fool ish and very discreditable election ma noeuVre. 1 believe it disgusted the taste and alienated the judgment of a vast number of the British electorate, ! particularly when they realized that | the so.called American dollars were, to a large extent, contributed by the most patriotic citizens, subjects of this coun- try, belonging to both parties in the great Dominion of Canada.
 "Be that as it may, what was the ob- ject and intention of the manoeuvres. It was that If they voted for the Liber- al party, if they voted for our veto for the curtailment of the powers of the House of Lords, they were, in effect, voting for Home Role.
 That was a manoeuvre which de. I feated itself and il does not lie in the mouths of those responsible for engi- neering 1t, and who protited by it, to say that it was not perfectly clear be- tore the minds of the electors, last De cember that if, and when, the eonsti- tulional ground was clear, it would be one of the first duties of the Liberal party to promote Home Rule for Ire land.
 "I don't think need waste words on the argument which was much brought forward then; but, to the ere diI of both the mover and .seconder of the amendment, has not been pressed, that the Liberal party, at the last cleo tion aand preceding election, in an nouncing their intention to make them- selves responsible for this legislation for Ireland, were engaged in discred- itable political bargain. There is a great silence now, when that sugges- ton is made; but 1t was heard on eve " platform in the country, al the last | election, that we were engaged in dis. creditable political bargain. ''I am glad have refreshed the me mories of the gentlemen opposite, and revived their enthusiasm. What was the supposed bargain? If the charge near anything il means this, that for the sake of retaining ofrice-after five | years ceaseless labor and anxiety-for the sake of prolonging brief and pre- earious tenure of our position, We, the responsible leaders of this party and our followers, were prepared to surren- der our convictions and barter away our personal and political honor. IfiI meant anything il meant that I am glad the charge has not been persisted in today.
 MechanisvilIe, March l5. - ~-
 Erin.