The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-07-15

were: England, Is. load, Ireland, IS.
3D., per head of the population. In
seven years the increase in the grants
were: England, 43; Scotland, 81: Ire
land, 1R per cent. Ireland is forced to
spend SIS on law and justice for every
So spent by Scotland, although Ireland
is the most crimeless country in the
world. The burden of taxation in Ire
land is borne by the poor. In England
only fifty per cent of the revenue is
raised by direct taxation. In Ireland
seventy three per cent of the revenue
is raised by taxes on articles of do
mestic consumption. Food taxes have
increased in Ireland by over one hun
dred and forty per cent since 1894. The
average weekly wages of agricultural
laborers are: In Scotland 19s. 3d.; in
England, 1Ss. 3d.; in Ireland, los. lid.
England spends less than one-fortieth
part of her National income on her
home government. Ireland is forced by
the present system to spend more than
one-tenth on hers.
The population of England and
Wales has doubled in the last sixty
years, that of Scotland has increased
by nearly seventy per cent In the
same period the population of Ireland
has decreased by thirty-three per cent.
In 1845 the population of Ireland was
close on nine millions
Daniel O'Connells greatest fight was
made for the Repeal of the Union. He
would have accepted it in preference
to Emancipation. He emphatically de-
clared he would willingly give back
Emancipation if he could in return get
Repeal. The Young Ireland movement
0S43-1S4S) was to obtain Repeal or
Home Rule ON the basis of a federal
arrangement with Great Britain. The
drove the Young Ireland Party into
seeking redress for Ireland by armed
revolution. The F'enian movement was
the consequence of the fruitlessness of
constitutional agitation to obtain
Home Rule. 1t was the most formd-
able conspiracy that ever menaced
British power in Ireland.
: The Home Rule movement founded
by Isaac Butt in 1873 has continued
until the present day. For thirty eight
years in succession three fourths of
the Irish people have backed up the
demand Of the Irish Party at West
minister for Home Rule. No such con-
stancy to a political party is known in
the history Of England
The extension of the franchise In
1884 was availed of by Ireland to re-
turn eightysix out of one hundred and
three members pledged to Home Rule,
and, at every general Election since,
this proportion has been practically
maintained without break. At pres
ent Ireland returns eighty-four MEM
bers out of one hundred and eight in
AaSoI III nome ltule. III the three
provinces-Leinster, Munster and Con-
lacht-every single member is re-
turned as Il Home Ruler, with the ex-
ception of the two members for Trim
ity College. Dublin. In Ulster sixteen
out of thirty-th members are Home
Rulers; and, at the last General Elec-
ton not counting South Belfast,
where the fight was between an off,
cial and a nom official Unionist, the
total votes polled were: Home Rule.
1891; Unionist, 41,693; showing a
Home Rule majority of 1928.
In twentythree out of thirty-two
Counties there is not a single Unionist
returned. Out of sixteen borough men,
bers twelve are Nationalist. The pre-
mer division of Belfast returns a
Catholic Nationalist to Parliament. SO
far from the land legislation or other
ameliorative measures of recent years
weakening or undermining the Home
Rule demand, it has intensified and
strengthened it in all directions.
The Home Rule Issue First.
The Irish Local Government Act
was passed in 1898. and the elections
are fought on the Home Rule issue
first and foremost. The people would
not have it otherwise until the Home
Rule question has been settled. The
religion of a candidate matters not at
all. The issue is political. The Coun-
ty Councils are, except in a few Ul-
ster Counties, where the Unionists are
In the majority, all in favor of Home
Rule; and it should be noted that, not
Withstanding the political element, the
administration of County affairs is far
purer and far more efficient and eco
nomical than when it was in the hands
of the Ascendancy party.
The United Irish League, the Ma