A "HOME RULE" CRITICISM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 May 1911, Page 3

A "HOME RULE" CRITICISM.

To the Editor Sir,—As I knoAv nothing about the Home Rule question, 1 Avas impressed with Mr Redmond's assurance that if a Home Rule Bill is passed the Protestants Avill l>e fairly treated. But lam more impressed Avith the folloAving official figures just published. They make it perfectly clear that Mr Redmond Avas —well, not quite correct: "Tn Monster, out of 220 members of County Councils, there are 217 Nationalists and 2 Unionists; in Oonnaught, out of 144, there are 1-12 Nationalists and 2 Unionists; in Lei aster, out f 330, there are 307 Nationalists and 14 Unionists; in Ulster, out of 257 there are 135 Nationalists and l'Ki Unionists. Tn a.ll Ireland there nre 951 County Councillors, SOl Nationalists against 134 Unionists, while 6 describe themselves as Revolutionists, and 10 arc classed -is "indefinite."

The Unionists, except one here and there, come from the six "Plantation counties" of Ulster, Antrim. Down, Armagh, Londonderry, Tyrone and Fermanagh, Avhere the Loyalist and Protestant elements are strong. In these, ■nowe\*er, the Nationalists have 54 representatives against 111. a proportion immensely in excess of that \A - hic;h they concede "bhemselA'es to the minority in the rest of the country.

Plain speaking is ahvays a virt'ie, and Mr J. Redmond is pretty outspoken as a rule. This is AA'hat he said in America and he has never retracted his statements:—"None of us, whether Ave be in Ireland or in America, or A\'hereA r er avc may he. will be. satisfied until aav have destroyed the last link AA-hich keeps Ireland bound to England."

Mr Patrick Ford, "the well-known advocate of dynamite," is still . a

persona grata with the Irish Parliamentary Party. The Nationalist newspaper. "The .Freeman's Journal," _ (October P, 1906), reported that in speaking of a "send-off" meeting in Dublin, where he wished "godspeed" to two newly-elected members of his party who were about to visit the United States. Mr [Redmond said, "I have no quarrel with men who hold cxtremer views than T do." He went on: "T have always held the view that it was a strength to the National movement and not a weakness that Fnrdand should realise that there was behind the men who were conducting the constitutional movement on the floor of the House of Commons a great unknown power, waiting for an opportunity which might arise to have recourse, if necessary, to other methods to advance the cause of Treland."

Presumably Mr J. "Redmond was bestowing an Irish benediction on the "patriots" who dvnainitel Clerkenwell Prison, and who assas-sinated—-in cold blood—Lord Cavendish.

Mr Sweetman. a leading "Gaelic League" apostle, and vice-chairman of the "Central Council of Irish County Councils," wrote in lie "Freeman's Journal" (January 31. 1907), affirming that "out of the Gaelic League's de-Anglicising p -opaganda have already grown a series of movements, not only strongly political, l>ut each and all making for a separate independent Tri-di nation, freed from every link of the British connection."

Mr W. "Redmond, on Saturday, in Levin, complained th?.t Ireland had forced upon her a "garrison" of 12.000 police, a force totally unrequired for the necessities of the situation. Sir, men and women, have to be protected on their way to Mass roin the violence of "patriots," farms have to be protected, and taking the ease of Mr Clark alone "an army of police had to be quartered on his farm" (1910), and articles of diet had to be brought 100 miles from Dublin for the use of the f:\r>ily and labourers. There will be a few more broken pates in Ireland should ever the Boval Trish Constabulary he reduced.

Tn 1906 the Unionist party were, to all intents and purposes, led by a strong man, who spoke in language so vigorous that those who ran could read. It was the Right Hon. Joseph Chamberlain. This is what he said :—"lliey have declared that they will be satisfied with nothing short of separation on their own terms. They have admitted that they hope to gain their ends by practising on your fears, and von are threatened once more with their methods of terrorism which were devised to place our loyal fellow subjects in Ireland at the mercy of the enemies of this country. Whether in opposition or in office, T will spare no efforts to defeat, this conspiracy of violence and treason."

This was tlie language that made people feel they had a leader, and if Ireland obtains Home Rule it will be because the Tory party, today, is led hy a 'philosopher, and not hy a statesman.

The envoys spoke of "the thousands of Orangeman" who were rallying to the Home Rule cause. What about the last by-election at the great working class town of Rootle, in Lancashire, where Muspratt, one of the largest employers of labour in the North of England, according to the Radical Daily News. the election "on the Parliament Bill and Home Rule?" Tlie Unionist was returned by an overwhelming and largely increased majority. 'When I speak about Orange matters I know what I am talking about, as those who understand this bracketed paragraph will know. ("Is it cold, brother? Is it cold?") But as I am unable to understand the views "Of and Rafferty who bashed down and Kafferty, And when they went to schoolagen. Redad it were to Howlagen." T will •merely sign' myself from my natire heath.—Yours, etc.

MACGILLTCUDLT REEKS. Ballagliadareen, X. Sligo.