The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1914-05-29
NOT SETTLED.

A great historical event occurred on
Monday when the English Commons
passed the Home Rule bill for Ireland.
1t is the elimination of more than q
century of actual struggle and may be
fraught with events in the immediate
future that will shake even the throne
itself.
Perhaps at no time since Ireland and
England were joined has the jointure
been satisfactory to many, or even the
majority. of the Irish people. For cen.
turies, they were practically subjugat.
Cd people, hut in the last century they
began their agitation for Home Rule as
distinguished from actual independence
OF course during later years some of the
more radical leaders have shouted for
separation but most of the Irish would
long ago have been satisfied with Home
Rule, which meant an Irish parliament,
with powers very similar to those of the
states of this Union, and which powers
bill as passed this week.
From an American point of view, such
a home rule parliament not only for Ire.
land, but also for Wales, Scotland and
even England itself would seem advan.
tageous. At present the imperial par.
lament rules in. an infinite number of
local and insignificant matters, even in
the government Of cities, that would be
far better managed by local govern.
ments.
But while Irishmen have been fight.
ing, literally, as well as politically for a
century for home rule, on the other
hand, Irishmen have been fighting
against home rule, and tho quarrel
among themselves has bitter and bloody,
because accenuated by that most bitter
cause of strife, religion. Christ said
that He came not to send peace but a
sword, and history records that not only
in Ireland but elsewhere the sword has
been used more between HIS followers
than against infidels.
In the earlier strictly political agatha.
tions for home rule, the Protestants who
form but minority of the Irish people
that have had for allies the major.
ity of the English people who were also
Protestants. Later, the sentiment has
changed so that Ireland with its AZ rep
resentatives in the Commons, has been
able to become the balance of power in
that body and thus dictate terms to the
warning political parties.
This as said has eliminated in the
passage of the Home Rule Bill. But the
Protestant Irish, who mostly live in the
north of Ireland, are bitterly opposed to
the bill as now passed and declare that
they will not stand for it, and have al
ready bought arms, drilled men. and say
that they will not submit to Dublin
Parliament, but will die fighting rather
than Catholics shall rule them.
What will happen in the future is
problematical. History shows what the
Catholic Irish have done during the last
century. Murder, assassination, rebel
lion, boycotting, have been common at
intervals, and great deal of the time
Ireland was practically under martial
law and practically under the govern.
ment of the constabulatory. Whether
the Ulster Irish will follow the same aw-
full road, no one can tell. But all we
know is that they also are Irish and the
record is that an 1rishman will fight for
what he thinks is rlght-and there are
no better fighters in the world. Eng
land has problem. The Irish question
is still far from settlement.