Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1912-10-12

ment for West Belfast, who is kno
to many Louisville people, has WI
ten the following statement on
meaning of the Ulster covenant:
You ask me what is the meant
OF the Ulster covenant and the PRO
able result. 1t is meant to thr
dust in the eyes of the British p
pie, to bluff them into the not
that the first consequence of
enactment of home rule will be the
preparation of Carson and his fol-
lowers to rebel against the authority
of the Irish Parliament and the
armed revolt of Ulster against any
attempt to enforce the authority of ,
that Parliament in that part of
Ulster where Carson's supporters
have the majority 1t is an attempt
to overawe the imperial Parliament
and to prevent the concession of the
constitutional demand of the IfislN
people for home rule. Public opiniA
is too well informed and enlighteg
in England now for any such after
to succeed.
The Ulster ascendancy party
made similar threats in the
which came to nothing. They threat}
ened civil war if Catholic emancipa-
ton was granted in 1929. Theyt
threatened to kick the Queens crown
into the Boyne If the Protestant
church in Ireland was disestablished,
and on practically every occasion ,of
reform their threats have been rel
peated. They proved only to be idle
words, and there is no reason why
the present threats should prove
otherwise. Civil war in Ulster would
mean civil ruin for those responsible. |
The home rule bill provides for the
continued representation of Ireland
In the innseDia!~ 1a-cllS rtsm ssa 49,
and reiterated dt iii Ca
be followed by even Qxy5he1nI5I
in the disclaimer of ever having at
tributed any such wicked folly to
the Irish Parliament. All of the
home rulers almost stood aghast at
this tremendous withdrawal by the
Orangemen and saw almost with
ineredulity, though with unbounded
delight, the whole of the Orange
case laid in ruins by the Orange
hands.
The progress of the measure was
interrupted few hours on Wednes-
day by the rather sudden change Of
front by the Ministry with regard to
the Irish Senate, Premier Asquith
substituting proportional repre-
sentati0n for the mere nomination
after the first five years of home
rule. Bonar Law insisted that he
had not had sufficient notice and
demanded an adjournment, which
Asquith was obliged by Parlia-
mentary rules to concede. But when.
on Thursday night, Bonar Law had
Numbered against this concession as
worthless and the whole of the Tory
party had repeated these denuncia-
tions, they refused to challenge a
division and amid the mocking
laughter of all the home rulers the
change was made with universal as
sent. All of these events indicate
that the irreconcilable hostility to
nome rule, which the Orangemen
proclaimed with such a loud beating
OF Orange drums, is breaking down
and that the home rule measure, in
stead of losing ground and being
battered by the debate. is making its
way steadily and triumphantly and
that the bill will leave the committee
stage, which is the most dangerous in
the House of Commons, practically
unchanged.
Next week two sharp corners are
TO be turned. The first will come
when Philip Snowden, the English
Socialist, proposes female suffrage
tor the Irish Parliament. but prac-
tically all the home rulers, including
even the female suffragists, agree
that this domestic question should
be left to the Irish Parliament. The
second corner will come with the
proposal to give Ireland some control
over the customs. This proposal ex-
cites some misgivings among the free
traders, and also among some OF the
Scotch Federationists, who think that
this clause puts difficulties In the
way of Scotch home rule later on.
But, though a group Of twenty mem-
bers canvassed these views, there is
no danger OF any split and the
of the bill, when explained
and debated. will rally practically
every Liberal member.
Everything is going splendidly and
Premier Asquith, who looked very III
last week, now shows a face OF al
most boyish freshness and gaiety.
John Dillon has returned TO the
House after his severe accident. but
Is still weak and exhausted. Joseph
Oevlin still remains on the sick list.