The Irish standard., 1911-07-22
Premier Believes the Lords are OBJ
jecting (hiefly on Account
of Home Rule.
Plea That the People Have Not
Been Consu ted Disproved by
Election Speeches.
Rumor of Split in Cabinet Regard
ing Home Rule Question
Unfounded

Premier !Asquith is confident that the
Veto Bill would pass without notice
able objection il the clause under
which an Irish Home Rule bill may be
passed We're omitted. The preteXt UNI
der which the Lords are opposing the
bill he considers to be without foun-
dation. Referring to the bill in a
speech at Manchester not long ago he
said:
l believe-l am tolerably certain
that we could get through the Parlia-
ment Bill tomorrow without the least
difficulty OF any sort or kind if we
would agree that it should not apply
to Homo Rule. That leads me to eN-
anime once more an allegation which
still does duty in the Tory press and
on Tory platforms-though it is put
forward in much milder and more
mealS- S-mouthed fashion in the House
Of Commons-that in regard to Home
Rule, we at the last General Election
were guilty of trick and fraud on
the electors Of the country. What is
really the charge made against us? We
pushed this Parliament Bill to the
front, but we kept Home Rule in the
background, and yet all the time. we
carried on what was not only sin
lister, but probably corrupt compact
Lament Bill for the purpose of carry
ing Home Rule. and that the thing was
carefully and sedulously hidden from
the eyes of the electors.
| am going to read quotations from
certain persons, who may not perhaps
like to be quoted to show what ac-
tually took place at the General Elec-
tion of December, 1910. I will begin
with Mr.. Balfour. Oddly enough, the
message sent to the electors of Barn
staple. What he said to the electors
of Barnstaple was this "The avowed
intention of the Government is, in
substance. 10 abolish the Second
Chamber. and then. without any ref
erence to the electors, to grant a
sweeping measure Home Rule to Ire
land That was our avowed inten-
tion. mind you-according to Mr. Bal
n ,ctn N11l1
berlain. This was in Il speech at Old
ham, believe: What were the Gov
ernment going to do if they had ma
iority, or sufficient majority? They
were going to abolish the Veto of the
House of Lords. Next they were go
ing to establish Home Rule for Ire
land"
I next take Lord Lansdowne. He
was good enough to refer to me. and
this was at very early stage of the
election. Speaking on Nov 13. he
said: "Mr. Asquith.. to my mind,
makes it perfectly clear Cloud ap-
plause and laughter) that the first step
that will be taken will be to deal with
the question of Irish Home Rule"
And, finally. J. don't see that can
do better than quote a half sentence
from veteran and most respected
member of the Tory sde-Mr. Chap
lin. Speaking at Whitby. on Nov. 13,
he crystallised the whole thing in these
words: Every vote given in support
of the Government at this election is
given in support of Home Rule" And
so it comes to this, that so far from
the electors voting in the dark, they
were told by us, and they were told by
all our opponents. in language which
Mr.. Balfour was good enough in the
House of Commons to say was as clear
as grammar can make it, that they
voted for the Parliament Bill, and if
the Bill passed into law a measure of
Home Rule would certainly be intro
duced into the House Of Commons.
An Enormous Change in Favor Of
ireland.
have had my attention called to q
statement to which great prominence
was given in one of the leading organs
of opinion that in this matter of Home
Rule serious differences of opinion
have developed amongst members Of
the Government, that the Irish were
prosecuting exorbitant and impossible