The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-11-07
Delay In Operation of Home Rule
Arouses Suspicious of Irish
People. Postponement for
Benefit of Ulster.
Attempt to Satisfy listers Preju-
dice Not Meeting With Favor.
May Weaken Bill.
Home Rule Not All We Want, But
We Want All We Can Get,
Says Irish Editor.
(From the Kilkenny People.)

(From the Kilkenny People)
Probably before these lines are pub.
lished, the Home Rule bill will have
become an Act of Parliament, and the
word "Finis" will have been written
to the long chapter which records the
memorable struggle maintained by the
Irish people for the right of self-gov-
ernment ever since that right was
shamefully bartered away by a venal
Parliament, or rather, by venal Par
liamentary majority, more than hun
dred years ago. Congratulations deep
and sincere will go out to the bril-
liant leader of the Irish party, John.
Redmond, who since the death of Par
nell has with marvellous judgment and
unwavering fortitude championed the
Home Rule cause in Ireland and West
minister. The closing phases of the
struggle were in many respects the
most arduous and the most crucial in
the history of the Home Rule move
ment. There were times when the
outlook was blacker than most people
realized, and when all the resources
of able generalship and the most per-
feet judgment and tact were needed to
avoid debacle. Upon these discour
aging episodes, which revealed weak
ness and insincerity where strength
and sincerity were expected amongst
members of the British Cabinet, who
were pledged up to the lips to Home
Rule, it is not necessary now to dwell.
The main thing-the only thing that
matters-is that we have got our bill
on the statute book.
AsquIth Redeemed His Pledge.
One thing, however, it is right to
say, and we say it not without good
evidence of it's truth, that all through
the trying period since the bill was
introduced, the Prime Minister, Mr.
Asquith, even though his public state
ments were sometimes vague and in
definite, never wavered in his deter
mination to pass it into law. He has
redeemed his pledge, in face of many
obstacles, not always created by his
political opponents, and this crowning
fact will be remembered for him with
gratitude by the Irish people. We
are not particularly depressed by the
circumstance that the Home Rule act
cannot become operative for at least
twelve months, or longer if the war is
not over in that time. 1t would be
unreasonable to expect that such a
vast constitutional change could take
effect while all the resources of the
British Empire are concentrated on
the gigantic struggle now proceeding,
and in any event it would take Ire
land twelve months at least before she
would be in a position of readiness to
elect to our own Parliament body Of
Representatives fitted to discharge, by
character, training and ability, the
immense responsibilities that will be
imposed on them; for 1t Is as we'll at
once to enunciate this great, all-im-
portant proposition-that If Ireland is
to make a success of Home Rule she
must see to it that the men whom
she selects to perform the work of
legislation must possess in an eminent
degree the qualities of high intelli-
gence, sound judgment and unques-
toned devotion to public interests
without which we cannot hope to gain
that degree Of happiness and pros
perity which it is the aim of every
self governing nation to secure for its
people.
The Amending Bill.
We are not, therefore, disposed to
grumble at the twelve months morato-
rum interposed between the time of
the bill becoming law and the time
when 1t takes effect as part of the
legislative machinery Of the country.
What we are more concerned about
is the character of the Amending bill
that is to be subsequently brought in
with the view of allaying the preju-
dices of Northern Unionists. Any con-
cessions within reason calculated to
attain that desirable consummation
would, we are convinced, be heart
lily welcomed by Nationalists, but
there rs one form of concession to
which they are strenuously opposed,
and that is the exclusion of any por-
tion Of our country from the control
Of the Irish Parliament. We hope
that Unionists as we'll as Nationalists