New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-15

htngdom and of the Empire. Look at
IL either way. II is remarkable speech.
Mr. Asqulth though ever regarded
as Of unsurpassed astuteness in the
leadership of party. has been thought
sluggish in enforcing discipline. and
in his Cabinet the same. He drives
with loose rein. He allows his col
leagues. though they are all his subor-
dinates and subject to his authority, 10
speak each for himself on all subjects.
and on all sides OF all subjects. He
allows private members a still wider
license, On neither does he lay re-
straining hand; until the last moment.
He seems to consider it better they
should contradict each other, and even
him for a time: better that there should
be freedom Of speech provided In the
end there be unity of action. He re-
serves the last word TO himself: and to
himself the deciding vote.
That is what he has done in this
Ulster business. His followers have
been suffered TO jeer at Ulster; to say
she has been bufing. and TO use Ian
guage which Sir Edward Carson de-
scribed as insulting; language in which
he was glad to say the Prime Minister
had no part. And when the moment
comes. as it came Tuesday night he
throws them all over: admits that I'll
ster is i'm earnest: that the situation Is
fun Of peril, and that the Government
is bound TO find means Of averting the
CANCER which his followers have denied
and derided.
Whatever else may be said of these
tactics, they have ended in personal
triumph for the Prime Minister. He
has asserted his complete authority
over his Cabinet and his party. And he
has at last convinced his opponents in
the House. and perhaps Ulster herself
that he is i'm solemn earnest in his de-
sire to find way out Of the danger
His best witness is Sir Edward car
son himself. Here again is the human
touch. One thing they have in COM
mon the grand manner More than
once AIR. Asquth has said he never
doubted the sincerity, the devotion, the
unselfshness. OF the Ulster leader Sir
Edward. has replied in kind, and again
last evening. gratefully acknowledged
! the Prime Minister'S admission that u
is the duty of the Government to take
the initiative There are criticisms
complaints. reproaches, and much else
but they do not touch the good faith OF
/ the Liberal leader. Here are two men
who know how to contend. each with
all his might against the other, for
principles and high policy, without I'M
! putting base motives.
, Perhaps it is even more interesting
to note how forces find their level in
/ the House when parties come 10 close
erips. The tituiar leader Of the Union
| lists is Mr.. Bonar Law; man OF many
virtues and gifts, but in this supreme
moment he has almost dropped out OF
sight. He closed the two days debate
| in 4 speech Of no inconsiderable merit
which might almost as well have been
] left unsooken. The real leader has
beer Sir Edward Carson. The speech
which impressed the House was his.
! Even Mr.. Redmond declared himself
deepiy moved by it. As a piece of ora
tory il may rank with anything We
have heard ia our time. My memories
| of Dicraelf. Of Gladstone, Of Bright, the
greatest orator Of them all, are many
and fresh. But ] can think Of no single
/ speech from any one Of these three
! which | should rank above Sir Edward
last night i'm point Of pure oratory
But there is something beyond ora
tory. Here is a man who has devoted
| himself absolutely to cause. lie mas
given himself 10 Ulster. He may he
right or wrong, but TO his belief that ne
il right lac has sacrificed what most
men most care for He has relin-
ouished his profession, Of which he was
~ he bar the undisputed head He has
sacrificed a great income, which he can
IN afford 20 surrender lie has. put
strength and health to hazard. He has
accepted great risks. What he has salc
land done in Ulster has put nun OUTSIDE
the law in the same sense that WASH
ington and Franklin were OUTSIDE tne
law before the first shot was fired in
The revolution. Believe in his cause or
not can YOU help believing in the man!
II can never be forgotten, ii cannot be
denied that while organizing Ulste.
into an armed camp he has ruled her
! with an iron hand and kept the peace
where but for him there would long
since have been disorder and fierce out
lbreaks. Even now hc is all for con
citation. for agreement. Tor mluuie
path if one can be found.
Naturally. Sir Edward like everybody
else. is impatient to know what the
Government are going to propose; nor
can ne understand why they should not
ont with il at once. Il want 1t in black
and white" he cried. He asks for II at
once because the position in Ulster is
daily becoming more intolerable; the
strain more tense: the sacrifices more
exacting: the danger of civil war more
imminent I'm no case will they support
the present Home Rule bill, or take any
responsibility for ii. The exclusion OF
lister. the rescue of Ulster from the
threatened dominion of Dublin Par
lIiament-that is the minimum. Leave
lister al she is subject 10 the crown
with the Imperial Parliament to legis-
late for her-she asks only that, ana
less than that she will not take. And
he understands the Prime Minister 10
be willing at least 10 consider that.
Toward the end Sir Edward carson
turned TO Mr.. Redmond and cried out:
Il say to the leader of the National
isl PARTY il YOU want Ulster go ana
take her or so and win her. You nave
| ,,,onfad her affections. YOU nave