The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-02


 lea have been noted for returning with substantial tribute in the shape of hard American dollars subscribed by their kith and kin and others who have helped bring the home rule cause to victory in parliament. Frohl now on Irish commits sions will be in search of other things. I have it upon the best authority that one of the first steps contemplated by the men who will take hold of the new Irish government is the sending of a commits sion of inquiry to the United States to secure the latest information upon the working of agricultural experiments and kindred matters. The idea, not the dollar, will be the new goal The Irish farmer is now contented and happy and his pros perity can be materially advanced by the adoption of useful new wrinkles which such a commission could secure. Indus try, too. would benefit. And Irish indus tries are all on the upgrade after long period of unrest and depression.
 One of the questions raised in the home rule debate was the rights of universities to parliamentary representation, and If this right be admitted, the equalization of such rights The anomalous position of privilege accorded Dublin university and denied the other two universities came in for hot and pretty general crit icism. While it might be conceded that universities as a rule bring together the finest calibre of the genus homo, and that the electoral vote of such a body should therefore be a very valuable corrective, the admission of the indirect franchise and plural voting is bad at the base and it has proved bitter source of contro- yersy all oyer Great Britain. And this, also, can be said: If we must concede to the scholars the right of combined representation in legislation what about | frdf cf frf 1fefc ha aH n merce, etc. the stock exchanges, produce exchanges-the list might be anplihed ad infnitum-and pray, why should not the humble hobo have his plural vote? The | question is big one-much bigger, even. than the bill which begot 1t.
 | The cooperative store movement is spreading like wildfire. and not without
 bitter hostility Individual merchants ! complain that selling prices are being cut below the point which competition can withstand Tt Is trust. they say, ''in | the guise of benevolence." Mr. William | Field. veteran parlianentarian and in f dustral spokesman makes a sweeping at l tack upon the concentration of importing | business and claims that If this move ment grows it will flood Ireland with for eign made products and destroy home manufacturers at the critical moment in the country's industrial history, The es-
 tablishment of traders federation to stem the flowing cooperative tide is urged | by Field and others.
 "The quiestest man in all Ireland" as he told the judge, appeared in court at Mrua gh recently. Beatty his name was, and he was charged with assault by T great big sassoon of lad twice the build of his alleged assailant, an elderly farm | CT, with a brilliant vermillion and white beard The complainant. Farrelly said | Beatty shook his blackthorn at him, whereupon the defendant bore testimony | to the peacefulness of his disposition. "Shure, yer honor,v he added, this big thrn-een fr,t hnult av me be the beard," and he shook his flowing spin | asf tnin shure he shtarted in to | shllelagh me. It's most dangerous | hoult, yer honor. as every man from Mullagh to Malahide knows full well. So just gave him q toucsi wit this shtraw