Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1908-06-20 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

PAUL DURRANS.  THE DANGER OP HOME RULE. 13ir.—Ati the question of Home Rule for Ireland is to be made one of the issues at the next general election. it will perhaps interest some of your readers to briefly recall the events of 1885. when the Liberal party W. 8.9 rent asunder. and the great alliance between Coneervatives and liberal lJnionists was brought into being. frame Rule to-day is as risky an experiment As It was when the cream of the liberal partg severed their connection with Mr. Gladstone • rather than hand the future of Ireland over to men whom Mr. Gladstone on one occasion described as -marching through rapine to the diememberment of the Empire." Undoubtedly 1, the flower of the Liberal Party in 1885 put patriotism before party, and in proof of this I mention the names of Lord liartington. Mr. John Bright, Mr. Chamberlain. Mr. Trevelyan. Mr. Gesehen. Sir Henry James. and outside the ranks of politicians. Tennyson, Lecky. Huxley, ' Owinburne, and a host of others. Mr. Gladstone's conversion to Heine Rule was very sudden, and in 1886 he introduced his bill for "the better government of Ireland" in a speech which the Press of that day describe as of "matchless eloquence." Thin bill, in brief, proposed to establish in Ireland a statutory Parliament, with an Executive responsible to it. There was to be an Irish Cabinet, and the Lord Lieutenant was to exercise the prerogative of the Grown. It was always Mr. Gladstone's contentkin that the eupremacy of the Imperial Parliament should be maintained but Mr. Parnell made no secret as to what his sentiments were for some years prior to the introduction of Mr. Gladstone's first Home Rule Bill, he said: "None of us will be satisfied until we have destroyed the last link which keeps Ireland hound to England." and tibia is the goal which members of the United Irish League and kindred associations are aiming at to-day. In the dark days of the South African War who was it cheered our reverses? Yet we find Mr. Winston Churchill at the recent bye' election in North-West Manchester, to-omising that the Liberal party at the nett election would advocate a measure of self-government. for Ireland. So Home Rule is not "dead and buried," as many were led to believe. In order to catch a few votes at a 'bye-election the country is again to be plunged Into this bitter controversy, but thig third attempt at disintegration by the Liberal Party will meet with no more euraess than Mr. Gladstone's first and emend Home Rule Bills. To me it appears like committing political suicide for the liberal Party to again dabble with Home Rule. Rut they are rare adepts at promising—the Licensing Bill to the teetotallers, the Educetine Bill to the anti:Church party, and a , Home Rule Bill to the trash. We hear of no serious demand to: Home Rule for Scotland or Weles, and why hand the future of Irelium over to men, the majority of whom make no secret of their hatred of Britain? To grant Homo Rule. either under the name of devolution or any other title, would be madness, and a gross injustice to that loyal and intelligent minority in Ireland who tand for the main. teuanee of Ale Empire. Mr. Gladstone. with all his eloqueace, could not arouse any real lenthusiaem to:. Home Rule, and where he failed it is not likely the present Prime Minis. ter will succeed. The "strangest Government of modern times" is tottering to its fall, and I for one shall welcome its downfall, because in • promising a measure of Home Rule they have forfeited the confidence of the nation as a whole, and proved themselves unworthy of those who believe in loyalty to King and coon frt.—Your obedient servant, J. N. CUMREIRBIRCH Ghapelcow a, a:. fliwßutl4l. 11th June, 'OIL