The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-10
written for The Catholic Bulletin
by Cecil UnderWood.)

OulOulSI anu 1klD0rdE-prOI0SS TO see
clearly solution. The Tories or Uni
onists affirm that if their opponents
were only little more considerate; if
they would only dissolve Parliament
and appeal to the country, a general
election would soon decide not alone
Home Rule but other offensive and I'M
popular measures. On the other hand
the Liberals are quite positive respect
ing the advantages which would accrue
to the distracted and agonizing coun-
try, if the diseased limb known as
toryism were amputated. Meantime
tongues and pens are busy presenting
different views and darkening counsel,
as they always do in heated political
campaigns.
Opposing Parties.
The opposing parties are we'll
matched On the side of Toryism are
the two leading newspapers, The
Times and Telegraph; while the Liber-
ais possess the only orators of note,
Asquith and Redmond. Sir Edward
Grey and Lloyd George are also towers
of strength to the party in power
Again the classes are pitted against
the masses; Tory titles and wealth
weigh in the political balance against
the Liberal cohorts in factory and
mine. Geographically, it is the cen
tre" against what is called the "fringe"
conservative England against Liber-
al Wales, Scotland and Ireland-the
"old guard against the coalition" !"
Labor has joined hands with the coali-
ton and swells the Liberal majority
= in the House Of Commons to one
hundred and twenty-six. The Church
Establishment (known in America as
the Episcopal church,, as an Offset to
the Labor vote, makes con11on cause
with the Tories. But creeds as a rule
are not exempt from division, for the
Duke of Norfolk and most of the old
English Catholic families are ardent
Tories, while the co-religionists of
Ulster, men living in Wales and Scot
land, are just as strongly committed
to the cause of Home Rule
But although the balance of power
is such as to ensure good political
fighting, yet the odds remain in favor
of the Liberal Party, for democracy
is not only strong but a growing
factor in English political life. The
mass of voters are being gradually
weaned away from Unionism, owing
to the skillful manoeuvres of Lloyd
George who has advocated a number
of economic reforms for the benefit of
the average man. Among these much
needed measures we're the Old-Age
Pension Bill, the Insurance Act, Town
Tenants Bill, Plural Voting Bill, Small
Landholders Bill, Laborers Act, Ex-
tension of Franchise and many others,
all of which were designed for the
benefit of the masses Even in demo
cratic America it would be difficult to
find leader like Lloyd George-so
thoroughly imbued with democratic
ideas and ideals.
The Liberal party is fortunate in it's
present cabinet, Mr.. Asquith ap-
proaches Gladstone or Disraeli in his
mastery of the art of statecraft:
whereas Sir Edward Grey commands
the respect and confidence of Europe
Mr.. Redmond is a close second to
Asquith, perhaps upon the whole a
more powerful debater, certainly as
shrewd and as resourceful. In com
parison with the solid Liberal phalanx
the Opposition is disorganized and
without strong or inspiring leadership
Mr. Bonar Law is a third-rate speaker
without fire or personal magnetism
he often loses the thread of his sub
ject and tries to cover the loss by
startling interjections and cheaI
coarse invective. His rival in the
last-named weapon is Sir Edward Car
son who goes up and down the coun
try like a roaring lion. Sir Edward
is type of the hot-headed ignorant
Irishman out of which the traitor ant
bigot are manufactured. He storms
and threatens and bullies, shouting
defiance at the Government and de
claring that Ulster will walk knee
deep in blood before she will bow tC
the behests of a Roman Catholic
parliament in Dublin. Carson, say
is type of the Irish Protestant bigo
whose Toryism and Organism fit to
gether like the upper and lower jaw:
of a jackal.
The Ascendency Faction.
But back of Ulster bigotry which
brays about rebellion and bloodshed
there is what Mr.. Redmond styles
the Ascendency Faction" which i:
threatened with certain downfall, i
Home Rule becomes operative. In
speech delivered at Newcastle Red
mond explained to the British public
the meaning of this ascendency:-
The real position of our opponent:
is, in my judgment, clear, and unmis
taxable. The little Ascendency Fac
tion is at the root of all the Ulstel
noise and declarations. No serious
minded, no disinterested Irish Protes
tant believes for moment that al
Irish parliament win deprive him o
any legitimate rights or liberties: bu