"THE HOME RULE QUESTION."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1144, 3 June 1911, Page 3

"THE HOME RULE QUESTION."

Sir,—lii yours of May 31, I notice some more Tcmurks by "R.D." in rcferoncal to Homo Rule. In his former rofcroneoi (o my remarks, ho challenged mo to quote j my authority for statements I made. When I have given tho author's namo hoj makes light of it. If I could not have] given him my authority, "R.D." would! have had somothing to talk about. I was' nut wanting to know what was in "R.D.V'I mind as to statistics; what I have to -«lo! with is what "R.D." places before' tho: readers of Tub Dominion. "R.D.," . andl sonio more of his compatriots, placo very little weight on statistics when religion j and nationality arc concerned, but that} does not alter tho fact that these statistics cannot be brushed asido by mere bluff. • 1 seo "K.D." still sticks to his twenty-five millions of Irish descendants in America, A mere matter of a few millions is not, much in "K.D.'s" opinion, but lie should also know that to tho average man in' .the street Irish and Catholic, are hardly . distinguishable, though, strictly speaking,. it. is not correct. I. was pleased to-soe-. "R.D." has discovered there are two Irelands. Wo aro constantly told tho Irish prople demand Home Rule, etc. "R.D." now admits that these aro only a section of. the people. Some of "K.D.'s" friends used to dub these other Irishmen "tho English garrison," and they wore not accounted Irishmen at all. I was- pleased to seo "K.D." admits them to full eiri-\ asnship. "K.D." also admits there aro, millions of Irishmen in America who are' not Catholics. Quito true, "K.D.,' but when tho country of their fathers wants defending they, will be found in tho camp of the Loyalists, and opposed to "K.D. and his friends." Now let us sec how theso twcnty-livo millions have come into being. ' I hope "R.D." will bo ablo to give us his authority, but I forgot, "R.D." does not' place much value on statistics! However, I hope hp will favour us with his enumeration of theso twenty-five millions. | "K.D." should know that tho-great rush) of emigration from Ireland .set. in after j the years of the famine in 181", and fromi Mav 1, 1851, to.December 31, 1909, a total' of "4,151,886 emigrated from Ireland,, though these did not. all go to the Lmlod' States. Xow, if these have increased to, twenty-fivo millions,, how is it that the people left behind have not been lncronsn? in the same ratio? "R.D." should I know that with all the "accursed English Government." as some of, his friends wish to call it, longevity in Ireland is a long way in advance_ of the United! ' "ItD's" reference to Daniel O'ConnelL offering to rniso a quarter of a million mei seems funny. As is very well known, he risk represented by p'Conuell and is partV, at least in their day were ot ver loyal to the Throne Indeed some of them aro not loyal yet. It s; also strange that in 1867 some of the, imntient spirits were deliberately drill p legally, in order to throw oyer the "■cciirse.l English Government, nX Ireland a nation. Perhapsits, quarter of a million, was some h ng 1 ko ; W 1G men who were marched into Dub- ■ lh, from Tallaßli- These 10 men were ■ a "lv"capitulated. A nuarter of a miU. Hon of such would not be worth much.-_ 1 am, etc., mI/IGAN . June 1. 19U. WHITFIELD'S TABERNACLE. Sir _I« your sub-loader of May 30, vou describe Whitfield's Tabernacle, m, "tho church-in which the .w.uion l ft, rabid political address, the speaker, bcinxi snv Socialist politician in >» v'MWty. If'that is the character cl A\lnthelda. Tabcrnaclo 10-day, I am very sorry to hear it. During a prolonged stay in London some >ix or seven years ago. I. found it was then a Congregational Mission Church. Two ministers were in. rharge. the, Kev. C. Silverster-Horne and; Mr. Holmes. The three regular buuday cerviccs were always crowded. Mr. Homo is rcognWcd as one of tho most-brilliant of dissenting nrrachors, and he occasionollv exchanged with such'inen e.s tho kpv. R.M. Campbell, of Iho City Temple, Dr. .lowott (who has recently gone I o -New< York).' and others of like standing, in I (lie afternoon a very large men's meeting I was held. Another was addressed by ! ono of tho very best, spcajcors available..Good, practical, healthy addresses were, given-bv doctors, barristers, literary, men, authors, or notable traveller!? who; wero visiting tho Metropolis at the moment. Good singers were also secured, and., the services wore bright and hearty. From what I could we, I should, Judge n useful and permanently good work wa« being done. Every effort was made lo make tho church a home for tho thousands of lonely clerks and who worked in the neighbourhood of that particular part of Tottenham Court Road. Certainly at that time your description could in no way apply. If the'scri»o«s, out hero wero ortlv within n cooeo of .ttuso then henrd in Whitfield's, I am buiu.uur colonial churches would bo better attended, at all events, by men. In common fairness, I think this little statement is desirable. I {-peak as I find.—l am, etc., R, SINCLAIR. 30 Hardr Street, Nelson, May 111, Ml. [Our correspondent is quite correct.' At ono time Whitfield's Tabernacle was, as, lie slates, used for religious purposes. Latterly, however, it has been-, hinted to olhcr uses, and, as pointed out by us. .objection has been raised through tho Courts to its escaping ' taxation on tho . ground that it was no longer used as a I>faco of worship,]