Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-01-25
Greater Majority For the plan
Than Had Been
Expected.
listers Plea to BE Left Ont
of Parliament Will
Lose.
CRRTAIN OF FINAL SUCCESS

iHe tulru reading of the home
rule bill went off more tri-
umphantly than the most sanepina
mad expected. There was only
normal majority in the Ministerial
coalition of 100 and the largest
majority anticipated was between
ninety and 100. When the maioritv
OF l1O was read the Liberals. I,ahor-
ites ana irish almost lost their heads
over the overwhelming victory
scene followed scene. Members rose
TO their feet waving handkerchief
ana the low rumble of the cheering
crowd outside the House penetrated
TO the chamber and added effective.
ness 10 the scene. The Comparison
Oh TINS huge majority with the num-
Ders In previous bills heightened the
magnificence of the present victory
The bill in 1886 was rejected ~
thirty majority. The bill in 1900
was carried by only thirty-four Tho
majority even on this third bill was
only ninety-four at first and a hun
ured on the second reading. The
rise 10 ITO on the third reading
SHOWS a steady advance in the pop-
ularity OF the measure and a closer
Tightening of the Liberal ranks in its
favor. 10
More moving than even the nnbIio
manifestations were some of the In
cldents Dehlnd the scene. The Irish
uetermlned to have every member of
the party in the division, and ex-
hausted every means to bring up
absentees. Young Kelly. the Donegal
member, was brought over from a
dublin hospital by a nurse, and.
leaning heavily on a stick. Meeban
queens county member, rose from his
bed for the first time in months
Jonn Roche. of Galway, who,recently
was at deaths door, also attended
John Mooney, member for 0ry.
returned from an nkerrnpted D =.
-1fF0Jr.- WtIe d,Yfc ~ b ~ -
sentees- poor p. ]. Power, who died
last week, and Nannetti, the Dublin
member. When news came that
Nannetti could not attend. owing to
illness, three members were sent to
his house to bring him down il nee,
essary in blankets. but the poor
fellow had got a slight paralytic at
tack and piteously but vainly tried to
speak to his colleagues, but he could
not be moved Samuel Young. Bel
fast merchant and a Protestant and
a member of the Irish party, who is
ninety-one years old, made speech
and voted for the home rule bill
Similar efforts were made by the
Liberals. Robert Cameron. eighty
seven years old. was brought to the.
House by special motor car and
was allowed TO vote without going
into the lobby, not being able to
walk. Many members left sick beds.
Only two Liberals voted against the
bill. and every absent Liberal was
paired.
In the closing days the debate was
also marked by the conspicuous tri-
umph OF the home rule speakers
Both Asduith and Redmond made
the speeches of their lives, while the
Tory attack was feeble and de-
pressed. Meantime considerable
change has come over the M :
Tory attitude. Resistance to the
measure as a whole is nov confessed
to be hopeless.
Ulster threats of civil war continue
to be uttered, though with palpable
discouragement. But behind these
threats emerges the evident intention
to offer as a compromise to the ac-
ceptance of the home rule bill the
exclusion of Ulster from its opera
tion. II is on this narrow point that
the final stages of the struggle will
center. The House of Lords fully
expected to reject the bill this time.
but when II is next passed by the
House OF Commons II is expected the
Lords will accept the bill. but insert
serious and vital amendments and
will stick out for this one excluding
Ulster alone.
Asquith, who is now regarded by
Irishmen as their greatest bulwark.
both inside the Cabinet and the
House OF Commons and in the coun-
try. remains firm and irreconcilaAle
on this point, never once showing
even momentary weakness In his de-
Termination to laugh at the Ulster
threats or II necessary to vindicate
the law against any attempt To
create a civil war.