The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-13
HOME RULE FOR IRELAND
 IS NOW NEAR
BILL READY ESTABLISHING IRISH PARLIAMENT AND GRANTING AUTONOMY TO IRE LAND IN PURELY IRISH AZ FAIRS.
LLOYD GEORGE AND EIGHT MEMBERS OF CABINET WOULD ADMIT WOMEN TO FRANCHISE. BUT ASQUITH OPPOSES.

London, Feb. 13-ParIiament opens | tomorrow for it's third session since l the accession of King George V. In tuuHlment Of it's pledges to the cleo torate, the Liberal gov ernment winch has now been in power SIX years, will attempt to add to It's a1ready note teuIe for Ireland, disestablishment Of the Anglican Church in Wales and a franchise reform law.
 Home Rule, for which Ireland has been fighting for a quarter or cen tury, will naturally overshadow all else, and some of Erin the world over are today awaiting the government s purpose with reference to the estab- lishment of a parliament in Dublin. According to present arrangements, although the details of it's provisions have been carefully guarded, it is understood that the bill will grant Irish affairs, to the Dublin parlia> ment. which will consist of two cham> bers and will be controlled by an Irish cabinet The measure will be formally introduced. probably -he first week in March, by Irish Secretary Augustine Birrell. who will be gen. on the part of the Liberals. The final draft of the bill has already been pre- pared by and with the consent of all the members of the cabinet, after con sultation with the Irish Nationalist leader, John Redmond. Although Red mond has not discussed the govern
 
 that it is acceptable to him and will be to Irishmen generally always ex- cepting the Ulsterites.
 The opposition, under command of Conservative leader Andrew Bonar Law. will fight Home Rule to the end, but with a solid progressive majority of 110 in the Commons, Irishmen have little to fear. The present line up is as follows:
 Liberals ..--......-.......... 26S Nationalists CRedmondites) ....... 7e llaDOriteS AZ Total Coalition Home Rulers .... 386
 There are eight Independent Nation alists, under William O'Brien but they are not expected to oppose the final passage of the bill. even though they may object to some of the details.
 In the House of Lords, the Home Rulers are outnumbered by about eight to one. but under the terms of the veto bill the representatives of the vested interests cannot do more than delay the adoption of Home Rule for three years If they reject the will reintroduce and pass it next year and the following one. and it will thus become law automatically.
 Of the other features of the legiSla- tive program. the bill providing for dfsestabIishment of the Anglican church in Wales comes next in inn ultimately for the general separation of church and state throughout Great Britain. Welshmen, who are mostly Nonconformists have been calling for the abolition of a state church with which they are not in sympathy, for many years. but the reactionary majority in the House of-Lords has always baked them. Now, however, Walc- will benefit. like Ireland, by the passage of the Veto bill.
 On the suffrage question. it is fear ed that lack of time will handicap the government, and that it will not be possible to enact this session more than a limited measure, removing the gross inequalities of the franchise system due to plural voting by land owners. In November last Premier Asquith promised to introduce a bill granting complete adult suffrage, with the opportunity of including women in it's scope if Parlia ament sees fit. but there is so much difference of opinion "Votes for women that for fear of wrecking the government. the meas ure may not be proceeded with in it's entirety this year.
 ested in that portion of King Georges speech dealing with franchise reform. Premier AsQuith personally opposes the inclusion of women in the propos- ed bill. and he is backed hv seven of his collea gueS. but Chancellor of the Exechequer David Llyod George, Navy Secretary Winston Churchill and eight other members of the Cabinet are ar dent advocates of the womep's cause.
 It is expected that the King will review his recent Durbar trip. and ex- plain more thoroughly the administra- tive ard other reforms planned bv In dian Secretary Lord Crewe and Vice, roy Lord Hardinge He will probably also. refer to President Taft's efforts in the cause of international arhitra- tion and to the recent reception ac~ corded his uncle the Duke of Con- naught, in Canada.