The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-06-17
IRELAND LOYAL
TO DEMOCRACY
Champions of Her Cause Have AL
ways Been Friends of Masses,
Says John Dillon.
In the House of Lords She Has Never
Had a Single Steadfast Rep
resentative.
Results Obtained in South Africa
are Example Of What Might be
Done in Ireland.

John Dillon, the ever active member
of the Irish Party in the interest of
Home Rule, is one of the best defend
crs of the principles Of the Veto Bill
now before the House of Lords In
q recent speech in the House he met
the arguments of the opposition by u
solid array of facts as follows:
The Prime Minister quoted from
Lord lanstlownc at Glasgow, but Lord
Lansdownc did not only speak in the
North: he went down to Portsmouth,
and on Dec. II said: "If the Gov
crnment were returned to power the
Nationalists would be paid in full and
would get Home Rule of the Parncll-
itc type" That was what Lord l.ans-
downe said in Portsmouth before the
election when they were looking for
votes. He did not tell the electors
there was amy vagucncss about the
looking for votes. He told them the
Government were quite clear and dis
tinct in their programme, and that If
| they passed the Parliament Bill, the
| Irish Nationalists would get Home
Rule OF the Parnellitc type. do not
| know whether it would be offensive
! to say it is trickery TO tell tho electors
before the elections that the Govern
men are quite clear as to their pro-
gramme, and after the election to say
the Government were vague.
How They Put the Issue.
come to the leader of the Oppo-
sition himself. He had no doubt he
had said something on the same lines.
He certainly did send several mes
sagcs in all directions. Hero is one
to Mr.. Parker. the unionist candidate
for Barnstaplc "Thc avoWed inten-
ton Of the Government is in sub
! stance to abolish the Second Cham
Dor, and then without any reference
to the electors to pass a sweeping
measure Of Home Rule" Mark the
words, tho nvowed intention Of the
Governments" And to the l'nonst
candidate for the Marlboro division
Of Leiccstcrshirc he said: "'Ihc inten-
ton of the Government to destroy
the Second Chamber, and then. with
out considering the people. to force Il
measure of Home Rule through Par
lament, is a policy most dangerous
to the interests of all classes Of the
community and humiliating to the
Nation"
Joseph Chamberlain. on Dec. 10,
sent to Mr.. PctO, the candidate for
East Willis, the message: "Thc pres
cnt election will settle two questions
Tariff Reform and Home Rule"
And in another message on Dec 18,
to the candidate for North Worcester
shire. the same gentleman wrote:
"rhc issues arc---first, Home Rule, to
which Mr.. Redmond attaches chief
Importance, and which every unionist
will do his utmost to defeat and more;
second, Tariff Reform"
ireland Suffered Most.
Therefore. it is absolutely idle, and
I think, hardly fair for any man to
stand up now and say that Home Rule
was not an issue Of the last election
and at the previous election, and that
the people Of this country were not
perfectly aware Of that fact, and sure
ly when it was proposed to exclude
from tho operation Of this clause this
question Of Home Rule, there was
something peculiarly cynical and crue
in it, because although all sections OF
the country represented by the pro-
gressivc Parties in this House haC
suffered bitterly from the obstruction
and oppression of the House of Lords
surely no section has suffered like the
people Of Ireland.
We have long score to deal witt
against the House of Lords, but there
is further this point: In that House
and there never has been, of the peo.
pie of Ireland. All other sections ir
the House have representatives in the
House of Lords, but the masses o.
, the Irish people have no representa-
tives there. They have, therefore, {
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