The Irish standard., 1913-02-08
HOUSE Of LORDS
REJECTS HOME RULE
Vote in Upper Chamber Results
1926 Against and SO for
the Measure.
Majority is Less by 129 Votes
Than the Majority Against
Gladstone's Bill.
Little Interest Shown in Debate,
as Outcome was Foregone
Conclusion.

The Home Rule bill which passed
the House of Commons by & majority
of ITO was rejected III the House of
Lords Jan. 80, by a vote of 326 to 50.
This majority is less by 129 votes
than the majority against Gladstone's
bill in 1888.
AS the outcome of the ballot was
foregone conclusion, there was little
interest displayed in the ancient as
scmbly during the Formally Of oebate.
But, nevertheless, the largest assem-
blage Of PEERS that gathered in the
House since the fatef;,! day when the
parliament bill was passed, gathered
for the final vote.
1t was scene that lacked anima-
tion because every one knew what
was to happen, and what is worse for
the members of'rthat dignified body,
that the peers are now in the position
of debating society. They may en-
press their views OH the bill and may
hinder its passage for time, but
they are helpless to prevent its final
triumph.
Outlook Frightening.
Meanwhile the Irish Home Rule
party Won a notable victory oyer the
Unionists in Ulster on the very next
day after the House Of Lords rejected
the Home Rule measure. The situa-
ton, though somewhat complicated
owing to the fight OF the suffragettes
is still looking bright for the Irish
party. The position tf the liberal
ministery, ON which SO much OF the
success Of the Irish party depends.
WAS greatly strengthened last week,
due to the influence Of the Irish men,
bers and the stern determination OF
the liberals not TO allow suffrage to
weaken the chances OF passing Homo
Rule.
Lords No Barrier to Home Rule.
The debate ON the Home Rule bill,
according to II. p. O'Conno: in his
London cable OF Feb. to the Chi
cago Tribune, was the cause Of little
interest other than that it showed the
weakness and helplesSncss Of that
body.
Nothing could show so plainly the
,r,,- anti r1n f,-,,F ti.,,, I,@
Lords, he writes, as the barrier to
Home Rule than the absolute indif-
ference displayed by the public dur
ing the debate on Monday night.
When tho debate began everybody
was too busy with ministerial differ
cnces over woman's suffrage even to
mention the House Of Lords, and the
contempt for it's action was eloquent
ly expressed by universal comment
among the liberals: What does it
matter what the Lords decide?"
AS the debate proceeded. the House
of Lords itself gave further confirma-
ton of the universal sense OF its po-
tence. Some "old die lards" like
Lord Halsbury. walled that the House
of Lords was now only a debating So
ciety, with no power left, but the most
remarkable feature Of the debate was
the entire change of tone from the
former struggle.
Home Rule Near, Leaders Admit.
Even such strong tory leaders as
Lord Curzon and such important
churchmen as the Archbishop Of York
acknowledged that there was an Irish
problem which must be faced and
solved. Lord Grey went further and
announced his conversion to federal
Homo Rule and admitted that colon
ial opinion all was in favor of Home
Rule, and dwelt on TIE momentous
Importance in the interest Of the Brit
. ish empire of reconciiing the Irish
millions in the United States.
When the division came. Enough, the
bill, Of course, was rejected. The ma
jority was less by 129 than in the
division against Gladstone's bill in
1893.
The whole tone Of the debate re-
verted to the certain conviction among
even the members Of .l1c House Of
Lords that Home Rule is now inevit-
able and the only remaining question