The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-02-11
QUICK ACTION ON
VETO BILL EXPECTED
Confusion in the Tory Camp Grows
Worse Instead of Better as
Crisis Approaches.
Reciprocity Agreement Between Can
ada and u. S. Unsettles
British Politics.
Irish Home Rule Looms up More
Hopefully as the Situation
Clears.

OlCd1
Not for ten years has any event
produced such far reaching results
i'll British politics us the reciprocity
agreement between Canada and the
United States, says Il. =. O'Connor in
his cable to the Chicago Tribune of
Feb. 5.
For two days there was an awk-
ward, benumbed pause. All forecasts
proved hopelessly wrong as nobody
expected more than small trining
changes and then came this vast rev.
olution and everybody was staggered.
When the Tories recovered, espe-
cially the high tariff faction, their
surprise turned to horror while the
Liberals chuckled at this immense
triumph of their free trade policy.
The Daily Mail was the first to per-
ceive and had the courage to declare
that this agreement broke into frag-
ments the elaborate fabric of colonial
preference and food taxes which
Chamberlain attempted to build sev-
en- years ago. ..
"The imperial preference said
the Mail, lis dead and the sooner we
realize it the better
| The other tariff Journals were Just
as frank but they admitted the deal
was a blow to the Chamberlain pol
| icy and mixed walls over the disaster
with curses on the Liberal free trad
ers who were charged with the aban-
donment Of the last possible chance
Of securing Canadian trade and loyal
ty against America.
Many Suggestions Made.
Some revulsion from the first ter
rors already are appearing and vari-
Gus suggestions are made of the way
in which to parry the deadly blow.
The Daily Mail is accused of a cow
ardly surrender by the rival tariff
journals, while the Times goes to the
length of suggesting an active cam
! paign to persuade Canada to abandon
the reciprocity plan. These walls are
futile and this last defeat is a new
addition to the already fatally numer
Gus factors leading to chaos in the
! Tory party.
Some of the moderate Tory pro-
| tectionists secretly rejoice at the dc
feat of the disastrous Chamberlain
policy which already has brought
/ three big electoral defeats while the
ardent protectionists propose to sub
stitute frank protection for prefer
entail tariff.
In short, the confusion in the Tory
camp is worse. This last incident
following the disscnsions over the
referendum and the House Of Lords
in the Tory ranks accounts for the
immense optimism with which the
Liberals open the present session.
The Liberals now see no difficulties
in remaining in power for four years
and carrying the veto, home rule and
other items on their program.
| Home rule, indeed, is in an even
better position than was anticipated
by the Irish leaders in their most
sanguinc hours.
The cabinet already is preparing
the discussion of all the details, in
cluding the financial and other diff
cult points of the new home rule bill.
! Thus the hurry and imperfect ne
gotiation which spoiled all the chance
Of the old Irish councils bill is avoid
ed and the new homo rule bill, when
finally presented, will be the result
frank negotiation between the min,
listers and the Irish leaders.
Want Veto Bill Pushed.
The spirit of the ministry is to
push the veto bill on without one
hours unnecessary delay. An indca-
tion of this spirit is seen in the pro-
pQsal of the ministry to take all the
time of the House Of Commons, rob-
bing every section and individual of
the dearly priced privilege of pro-
posing little bills.
! Redmond will accept such a pro.
posal and the labor men probably