Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-07-05
Asquith Ministry Will Last Until
the Measure Becomes
n Law.
British MOsses Exasperated Over
Carson's Ulster Oronge
Threats.
TORIES THROW UP The SPONGE

We have had a quiet though mo-
mentous week in Parliament, cables
Hon. T. p. O'Connor, NJ. p, from
London. The Ministry is proceeding
quietly and steadily through the re-
manning stages of the Irish and
" elsh bills, the Tories having an
Eounced that they would make no
attempt to amend the Irish bill 1t
passed through two of it's stages in
an almost empty House of Commons,
and with feeble opposition, and in
one stage actually without even a
division. The remaining stage will
go through possibly without even a
debate. So far as the House of
Commons is concerned, the Tories
have thrown up the sponge. Their
latest campaign in the country,
bringing out counter demonstrations
much more numerous and enthusias-
tic than theirs, have convinced them
there is no hope whatever that the
British democracy has any sympathy
with them and Sir Edward Carson s
threats of civil war in Ulster have
exasperated instead of frightened the
British masses.
The House of Lords will probably
follow the example of the Tories in
the Commons and will simply reject
the bill without making any attempt
to amend 1t or offer any form of
compromise. This all signifies that
The Tories now are beginning to
realize that Premier Asquiths Min
istry will last until home rule be-
comes a law and their hope now
is either that the Ministry will fall
through snap division or that a
series of bad by-elections will
frighten them, or that the Tory Min
istry, succeeding after the next cleo
ton. will try to repeal the home
rule act. All of these hopes, ! be-
lieve, are vain and home rule once
more marches steadily to it's final
oonsummation next June.
One slight cloud on the horizon
came from the three-cornered fight
In the by-election at Leicester. This
town always has been regarded as a
Radical stronghold, but owing to the
labor unrest and the growth of the
Socialist element and the vigorous
n trigue among the labor extremists
against Ramsay Mcdonald, who is
one of the members for Leicester
ard leader of the Labor party in the
House of Commons, because of his
skillful and moderate tactics, third
candidate fought as a Socialist. This
led to the danger of a Tory slipping
ir between. the divided democratic
forces. All of this has produced a
good deal of excitement in Parlia-
mentary circles as to the position OF
Ramsay Mcdonald, as it was felt
he involved in a less degree the for
tunes of the Liberal Ministry. The
election was fought mainly on the
insurance act, with an occasional
rlention Of the Marconi scandal and
some reference to home rule, though
the last did not figure largely at this
or any other by-election, even the
Orangemen realizing that the Eng
lish opinion can not be reused to any
feeling against 1t now. The English
and Scotch opinion shows everywhere
that home rule is regarded as a set
tied question.
Small seizures of arms intended for
Ulster continue to be made, but as
most of the guns are too old for mod
ern use and are apparently forwarded
with such openness as to invite
seizure nobody pays the least atten-
ton except to laugh at such puny
attempts at such serious thing as
civil war. Altogether cheerfulness
has returned almost completely to
the Liberals after the long strain OF
the Marconi scandal, and at least one
II not two years more OF office are
given by all the political prophets to
Asquith. The majority of 1900 for
the Liberal candidate In Leicester
was hailed by all the supporters OF
the Government as a splendid victory
and as a great relief considering the
tremendous difficulties OF the three
cornered fight. II is evident that the
hopes of the Tories for such disas-
trous by-elections as will make the
final stages OF the home rule bill
impossible are doomed to disappoint-
ment.
The home rule bill passed the com
mittee stage In the House Of Com
mons Monday night automatically.
The opposition loudly protested and
challenged division, which resulted in
vote OF 143 to 100 in favor of the