The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-10-28
LARGE CROWDS HEAR
HOME RULE SPEAKERS
Extensive Campaign in England
Indicates Growth of Favor
able Sentiment.
Opening of Present Session Brings
Lloyd-George Insurance Bill
to the Fore.
Home Rule Bill to be Introduced in
March-Irish Parliament to
Have Two Houses.

The English Parliament opened
Tuesday. 1t is the beginning of polit-
ical activities which will have far
reaching effects. The fate Of the
Lloyd-George insurance bill will be
decided and the political career of the
determined Lloyd-George will either
grow in luster or be totally eclipsed
In his cabled London message to the
Chicago Sunday Tribune II. p. O'Con-
nor gives the following brief resume
of the weeks developments:
The opening of parliament Tuesday
will bring parliamentary outbursts in
which warfare Arthur Balfour, David
Lloyd George and Augustine Birrell
will occupy the front Of the stage.
Balfour interests the people the most
of the three.
The new Halsbury club brings to a
climax all the hatred of Balfour of the
tory, and especially the extreme tariff
reform ranks. "Balfour must go" now
has become public battle cry instead
of being whispered in private con-
claves.
On the whole, this new anti-Balfour
movement is more likely to do him
good than harm. Gross stupidity is
chiefly represented by these new mall
contents and especially by men whose
extreme policy has brought the tory
party to its present disastrous posi-
ton. This concentration, too, on the
leader of the hour, of gross personal
insults is rallying opinion on his side,
and on the whole, think Balfour will
weather the coming session.
Lloyd George Regains Hold.
Lloyd-George's fate has seemed to
be still more uncertain during the last
two weeks and when. last Saturday,
he pledged himself to resign if the in
surance bill is not carried, many
thought his doom was sealed. Many
vested interests, medical men, insur-
ance societies, cooperative and friend
ly societies fighting for the last shred
of their rights, were backed by wild
socialists denouncing the insurance
bill. Today the sky suddenly cleared
and Lloyd-George was able to an
nounce that he has squared all oppo-
sition by timely amendment.
This is another proof of the extraor-
binary nimbleness and adroitness of
this remarkable man, and if the insur-
ance bill passes, as now seems certain,
it will make him the inevitable prime
minister whenever Asquith goes.
Birrel jumps to the front with some
striking announcements with regard to
the Home Rule bill. For the first time
the general public knows there will be
two chambers, and I believe most Of
the Irish members will assent to
forming safeguard against hasty,
| rash legislation.
Birrell speaks with great hopeful
ness Of the prospects of the measure,
OF introduction Of the bill; that is to
say, the first moment after the new
session of parliament has settled down
/ to business.
Liberals Well United.
I have just returned from an extern
sive Home Rule tour in England, and
! everywhere the meetings were crowd
! ed. The liberals are more united now
than they were in Gladstones day.
The tories are working like demons,
sending Ulster missionaries all over
their constituencies, and drawing the
usual rawboned pictures of the terrors
to civil and religious liberty in Ireland
under Home Rule.
The liberals reply with equal vigor
Wallace Carter who conducted a
splendid free trade campaign, is now
secretary of the Home Rule council
and is covering all England with q
. network of meetings. My strong i'm
| preston is that the old bogies of sep
aration and religious persecution will
no longer cut any ice and that Eng
land is reader to accept Home Rule
than at any period since the opening
Of the battle.