Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1919-02-14
IRELAND SPLIT
IN TWO PARTIES
Attempt Being Made to Re
concile Conflicting
Interests.

Dublin. Saturday, Feb. S---For the
moment Ireland seems divided into
two parties of extremists, one side de-
handing the overthrow of every yes
tige Of British rule, and the other de-
man0ng the maintenance OF the ex-
isting system of government, to be
varied. If at all, by an actual extern
sion of union principles and the treat
ment of Irish counties as if they were
British shires. An attempt, however.
is being made to reconcile conflicting
interests by working out a plan for
unity in diversity, such as obtains in
America.
A moderate centre party is being
formed in Ireland to advocate the So
tuuon OF Irish home rule through the
principle of federalism Before Ire
land swung over to Sim Fem the
most familiar demand of Nationalists
dissatisfied with Mr.. Asquith's home
rule act was for dominion home rule,
The new Irish center party proposes
to meet that demand. A scheme has
been drafted which in the main fol-
lows the Canadian model of 1867.
The new Irish plan proposes a sep
arate provincial single chambered
parliament for each of the Irish prov
inces; though some suggest only three
with a grouping of Leinster and Con-
naught. Each parliament would have
Its own executive and its own ex-
/ cheQuer and have full control over
all the purely internal affairs of the
! province. At the same time there
would be established a central fed
| eral parliament with its own executive
and exchequer controlling all affairs
affecting Ireland as whole. The
plan differs from the Canadian model.
however, in the proposal that ireland
as a constitutional unit of the British
empire shall be represented also in
the imperial parliament.
| The scheme of constitution for the
Irish federal parliament IS based on
| that of the home rule act of 1914, but
1t is suggested that both of the houses
| shall be elected by proportional rep
| resentation. The scheme is present
ed as giving the various provinces
ample opportunity to work out their
desunies by their own methods. Pow
ers of taxation, both federal and pro.
vincial, are provided for and a. rear
rangement of the judicial system has
| been devised.
The scheme prohibits both provin.
cial and federal governments from
any interference with religious equal
| ity. AS to education the proposal
is made that the national board OF
| education should be resolved into its
constituent elements and two new
boards be set up in lieu of 1t, one tc
consist exclusively of Roman Catho
lies and the other to represent the
various Protestant denominations
each board to have its activities linn
| tied to IT'S own UNCONVENTIONAL inter
ests.
The plan was one of the numerou.
ones submitted to the Irish conven
ton last year; but it was not con
sidered then, because the convention
concentrated itself on fruitless effor
| to secure the consent of Ulster to tn.
authority Of a single Irish parlia
| ment.
The men behind the new movemen
are from all the provinces and of al
classes. The moving spirit is Capt
Stephen Gwynn. who until the recen'
general election was member of par
lament for Galway city. He wa
John Redmond's right-hand maj
during the Irish convention