The Irish standard., 1914-03-07
PRESENT SITUATION
OF HOME RULE
Wide Spread Threats of The Tories
Have Passed Unheeded
Test of Asquith's Speech Sums up
Attitude of Government
Carson Declares Nationalist Want
listers Taxes, not her
Affections
(From Irish Press.)

All the talk about the Tories smash.
ing the Parliamentary machine, op.
posing the navy estimates. and get
ting the House of Lords to throw out
the army bill, with view to forcing
a dissolution of Parliament, has
proved to be mere sound and fury,
signifying nothing, and on all sides it
is recognized that new situation in
regard to Home Rule has been Great
ed by the kings speech, containing
the following paragraph, which, it is
said, genuinely expresses the per.
sonal view of His Majesty:
"The measures in regard to which
there were differences last session be-
tween the two Houses will be again
submitted to your consideration.
regret that the efforts which have
been made to arrive at solution by
agreement of the problems connected
with the Government of Ireland have
so far, not succeeded. In matter in
which the hopes and the fears of SO
many of my subjects are keenly con.
cerned, and which, unless handled
now with foresight, judgment and in
the spirit of mutual concession,
threatens grave future difficulties, ii
is my most earnest wish that the
goodwill and cooperation of men OF
all parties and creeds may heal dis.
sension and lay the foundations of a
lasting settlement"
That is probably the most signif'
cant and epoch-making speech from
the Throne ever delivered by Brit.
ish Sovereign with regard to Ireland
The Irish Nationalist who have
grown gray in the service Of their
country will reflect that it is not now
question of forcing Home Rule to
the front" or making Home Rule a
cabinet question next session." The
cause has passed far beyond those
stages, and the King pleads for "the
goodwill and cooperation of men OF
all parties and creeds," in order to
"heal dissension and lay the founda
tions Of lasting settlement"
The Premiers Proposals.
No sooner was the text of the
Kings speech known than everyone
recognized that the situation had I'm.
dergone a vital change, and Mr.. As.
quith's speech on Mr.. Walter Longs
amendment, which demanded Gen.
eral Election on Home Rule, was
awaited with the deepest interest. 1t
may be briefly summarized: (1)
There will be no General Election on
the Home Rule bill. (2) The "Con-
versations'' between the Premier and
the Tory leaders on Home Rule dur
ing the autumn and winter did not
result in any definite agreement"
(3) The Government recognize and
accept their responsibility for 'initia-
tive in the way of suggestion" but
this must not be construed as an ad-
u166lOA IAO 11O4u0 xku10 U41A 10 q
defective bill, and he emphatically
repudiated any such construction. az
Any suggestion put forward from
either side will be "fsr the sake Of
attaining peace, and as the price of
peace,"-"peace" meaning mot mere
ly the avoidance Of civil strife, but
mean, If it be possible, that the new
system of Irish Government, whatever
it is. which is set up, shall start I'm.
der such conditions and in such an
atmosphere as will give it from the
first fair chance Of working sue
cessfully. Every one Of us must do.
sire to avoid civil war and bloodshed,
and there is nothing we will not do.
consistently with the maintenance Of
our fundamental principles In regard
to the solution Of this question, to
avoid that terrible calamity. (6) With
regard to the exclusion Of Ulster
"Well, now, I am not going-it would
be very wrong IL I did-at this mo
ment, to pronounce, or attempt to pro.