The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-01
DIsCoURAGING HOME RULE sITuA.
TON.

TON.
There arc predictions. supported by
significant signs. both positive and
negative. that tho Asquith government
may go to pieces on tho Home Rule
question before tho proposition is over
brought to test In the Commons No
longer is the Premier on tho agrees
sive. but. to the contrary, Is palpalbly
on the defensive. The unrcasonins,
fanatical position of tho Ulster Union
lists none tho less, It Is undcnla bl o
that they have heartcned tho Union
lists throughout England. Scotland and
Wales, expanded their local issue into
one OF tho United Kingdom. and en-
couraged tho opposition to the govern
ment thereon to force tho fighting.
Meanwhile. there is ali ominous ell
who, we ere told on what is said to
be entirely competent and unbiased au-
thority. arc sulking in their fonts and
divided into two factions, headed by
Redmond. sustained by Dillon. on tho
one side. and Healy and OBrion on tho
other. 1t is strikingly noticeable that
since Mr.. Birrell. then chief secretary
for ireland. gave an outline Of the
governments Homo Rule ucheme, tho
Irish leaders have sedulously refraine ed
from publicly discussing the subject
In general terms. to which Mr.. Birrell
Suardcdly confined himself, II was in
dicated that the proposed measure
Nx-n
be Instituted a bicameral Parliament,
with a Cabinet responsible to It; that
this Parliament should have full con-
troll oyor purely Irish affairs; that
tho British government should take
a comprehensive and broad view of
what embraced those affairs. and that
the newly created Parliament would DO
subordinate to Westminster.
Whether there was any sido under
standing as to details between Red
mond, who at the timo dominated the
Nationalists in the Commons, and Mr.
Asquith. with whom he struck the
bargain over the Lords veto, and other
liberal measures, did not develop. 1t
was understood. however, that Red
mond, while he considered the pledge
only half loaf, was agreeable, hoping
and calculating, as he did, on forcing
or securing the concession of the whole
loaf later on. But also II was under
stood that Healy and o'Brien clamorcd
for whole loaf declaring that they
would have all they wished for or
none. and were only estopped from
throwing the fat into the fire by the
fact of the supreme power of Red
mond over the Irish group. Now, 1t
is asserted, these two intra- party ire ,,
concilablcs and extremists have been
adherents from the National
lists both in and out of Parliament,
and that 1T Is not improbable that they
may soon be strong enough, II indeed
they are not already strong enough,
to make an effective open breach
Not all Liberals in the Commons arc
Home Rulers; many of them acquiesccd
In the Redmond-Asquith ,ba rgain mere
~ as a los-rolling eSpedient to ensure
the passage of other and strictly party
legislation. These would welcome
IustiHCttion lOr detection from the
ministerial majority on Home Rule, a nd
would be Endorsed by large numbers
OF their constituents. should they halt
or turn back. In such a situation of
political difficulty and uncertainty It
is easy to understand that the gov
crnment's coalition OF Liberals, Ma
tionalists and Laborites-an unnatural
coalition at best-scems to be head
ing for, and may be wrecked al
most any day on the rock OF parlia-
dissolution.
Certain It Is that unless the con-
ditions arc grossly misrepresented by |
tho British press and the cable dis
cussions OF them in papers in this
country, both storm OF intra-Irish !
party dispute and freshencd Unionist
popular wind OF opposition appear
to be driving the combination steadily !
to that fate. More than this, and of
greater and sad concern. they are
threatening, through hope deferred
again. and justice further delayed to
make the Irish heart sick.
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