The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-08-16
constitutional ana $50 rational as tn,
English nation. e.
Redmond Mayschoose Cabinet.

English nation. 4 e.
Redmond May schoose Cabinet.
Mr.. Redmond. sIsassume. will have
the same right II the British prime
minister-of choosing the men whom
he desires to have aas colleagues in his
ministry. This cabinet will make up
from that moment the government Of
Ireland and will hs responsible for its
entire administration.
The next step. Of course. is the
choice of the date5for. the general elec-
ton and the sunamoning Of the new
Irish parliament: This is a question
which 1 may say has not yet been
even considered. And it is therefore
incorrect to say, 10 some papers have
said, that there isfan understanding
some even hint 9 spledge-.between the
ministry and thesleaders of the Irish
shall not come into existence until
there has been smother general elec-
ton in England. No such undertaking
has even been discussed, and IL it
were discussed, itwould be dismissed
as ridiculous. When the Irish min
istry is appointed.stt will be for it. in
consultation with 1.-THE lord lieutenant.
to fix the date, That date must be
four months at least after the ap-
pointment of the ministry.
No Delay anticipated.
If. therefore. the new Irish ministry
were appointed within one month af-
ter the royal asSsnt to the bill. the
Irish parliament could be in existence
within five months utter the passage
of the measure. Essas no reason what
ever to anticipaa that there will be
any delay; but. sgain, that is ques-
ton which the Irzsh minister will be
free to consider and decide with the
advice of the lordslieutenant when the
time comes. ~
The date of thSymeeting of the Irish
parliament affectszBritish politics: for.
after that general election, the repre-
sentation of Ireland in the imperial
parliament will bs reduced from 10s
to A. This reduction Of the Irish rep
resentatiep l.s s!s u lt sstsnse of !s the
government whice, ox'lM Thereby be de.
| prived Of many supporters and IL
especially affects the fortunes of the
plural voting bill. need not say that
the passage of the plural voting bill IL
regarded by every liberal and ever,
Irishlnan as well, as vital liberal in.
terest and one which 1t would be folly
and almost wickedness to drop or ever
to postpone.
| 1t is one OF the grievances that hat
eaten into the soul of all true liberals
and the spectacle of alien voters, com
ing from all parts Of the world tc
overbear the vote Of the local com.
munity, is one which must never be
repeated: and which, If repeated by
any slackness on the part of the min.
istry or of the liberal party. would
produce revolt Of disgust and almost
despair that might be disastrous to the
fortunes Of the liberal party at the
next general election.
! Plural Voting Bill Unaffected.
But here again it is profound mis-.
take to suppose that the fortunes o
this measure depend in any degree or
the date of the meeting of the Irish
parliament. 1t is simple sum in ar.
ithmetic to see that even with the re.
duction of the Irish Representatives ir
the imperial parliament, the fortune:
of the bill are in the least imperiled
Roughly, the ministry and this bill
have. at present, majority of 106
Counting the O'Brienites and two 9th.
er unattached Irish members, there are
eightyfour Irish nationalists and, al.
though the support Of the OBrienites
and of the two independent members
is rather fltful, they may, for the mo,
ment, be counted among those who
would vote for the plural voting bill
There are nineteen unionists from Ire.
land. Assume that the forty-two new
Irish members were thirty-two ans
that the unionists were twelve; thai
would still leave a majority of twenty
in the Irish representation for the
ministry and the ministerial bills. Or
the other hand the liberals, coupled
J with the labor men, are, without tn.
Irish at all. thirty-nine of majorit!
over the tories and thus, with twent,
added from ireland, they would have {
majority Of y-nine-quite enough t,
carry the plural voting bill.
I have said that the date Of the ap
pointment of the Irish cabinet has no
yet been fixed and that the date of tn
, Irish parliament has not yet beel
} even debated. But II were to hazar,