The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-06-17
Redmond Explains Position of the
Party Relative to This I'm
portant Measure.
Ready to Receive and Consider In
formation and Suggestions
From All Sources.
Party Not to Take Any Step Which
Will Interfere With or Fetter
Their Absolute Liberty.

Since the House of Commons dis
posed of the Government Bill and the
House of Lords saw fit to pass it on
it's second reading without Offering to
amend it, the matters relating to the
details Of the Home Rule Bill are re-
ceiving increased attention. Mr.. Red
mond has addressed letter to The
Weekly Freeman in which re defines
the position of the Irish Party on the
question of the finances of the Home
Rule Bill as follows:
My attention has been called to
correspondence which has appeared in
your columns, and in those of some
other newspapers in Ireland, on the
question of the Committee appointed
by the Cabinet to assist them in pro-
curing information on the finances of
the Home Rule Bill.
AS I shall not have an opportunity
of speaking in Ireland for some time,
desire to define my position and that
of the Irish Party in reference to this
important question.
When the preparation of the Home
Rule measure became a matter of ur-
gency, it was manifest that the fin
ance of the new system would require
careful investigation and the collec-
ton of a good deal of information.
was then brought face to face with
the alternative courses which might
be adopted in this vitality important
business.
On the one hand, we might have
demanded the appointment of a Com
mission framed on the same prin-
ciples as the Childers Commission.
of course, fair representation for Ire
land on such body, such as was
given on the Childers Commission.
But it would also have involved two
or three serious consequences.
First Of all, long delay would have
been inevitable, because if Commis-
sion Of that character was set up,
charged with a duty Of 'inquiring into
the whole question of the financial re-
lations between Great Britain and Ire
land, it would have been impossible
for either the Irish Party Or the Gov
ernment themselves to limit the period
of their labors, and we know that the
Childers Commission took over two
| years to complete their work.
Secondly, the appointment of such a
Commission would, in my judgment,
have undoubtedly involved the
abandonment by Ireland Of the enor-
mously strong position which we oc-
cupy on the report of the Childers
Commission.
The other course was to leave the
Government, on their own RESPONSE
bility, to seek for information in
whatever way seemed best to them,
as is the invariable custom Of the
| Cabinet when preparing every large
|
measure, the Irish Party accepting
no responsibility whatever for the
method adopted by the Government.
That is the course that has been
taken, and we, therefore, now stand on
the Report of the Childers Commits
sion, and will be in no way bound or
| fettered by the proceedings of the
! Committee appointed by the Cabinet.
The limited scope of the inquiry by
| this Committee seems to be misunder-
stood and magnified. 1t Is not charged
with the duty of re-opening or Of re-
viewing in any way the decisions
come to by the Childers Commission;
and while we are not responsible for
it's personnel, am satisfied that the
members of it are entirely sympa-
thetic to the just financial claims of
Ireland
In some of the communications to
which my attention has been drawn
suggestions have been made that an
Advisory Committee should be ap-
pointed in Ireland to deal with this
question of the finance of the Home
Rule Bill.
/ / do not desire to appear in any
way to Interfere with the utmost free
Il