The Guardian And Evening Star, with Which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1927. IRISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with Which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 1927. IRISH POLITICS.

Jnisit politics are again mixed. This however, is not typical of Ireland, only in these days of changes. Politics generally arc in a rather mixed condition all the world over, and changes seem fashionable, as also numerical equalities in opposing parties, so that composite on fusion .Ministries arc in the majority. It would npjicar Ireland to secure a settled form of internal government, av ill have also to follow suit and select fusion .Ministry. The Premier (Mr Cosgrave) by tendering; hia resignation, has followed it very fair course. At likisL lies in not intriguing lor office. Ami the way is now open for tlio factions in the Trbdi Free State Parliament, which are opposed to the Republicans, to form a fusion party and resist those seeking to bring about political disruption in Ireland again. As a contemporary has put It, in reference to the political opposition which the Cosgrave Government’ had to face, it is hardly necessary to eo-

large upon the attiiiule and tin* intentions of the Do Valera faction. He Valera is aided by the fanaticism which always exercises some inllUcticc on an emotional people, and lie has recently returned from the 4 nited States with a large lighting fund that could not fail to play a conspicuous part in a hotly contested election. Iho Republicans thorforo proved dangerous antagonists lo the Free Stators. At the same time the National League, founded last year by Captain Redmond and Air T. O'Donnell, no doubt took a considerable mini,lvor of relatively conservative votes from the Cosgrave Government. There was a good deal of popular discontent prevalent throughout the Free State. The Cosgrave Government had to some extent lost hold upon the sympathy and confidence of the people, and the chief reason for this was that the Government made no attempt to win popularity by making concessions to public sentiment or to vested interests. As Bernard Shaw told the world long ago, the educated Irish are a logical people, and Afr Cosgrove and his colleagues have carried their principles into effect on strictly logical lines, without paying much attention to the protests and outcries of objectors. During last session of the Dull forty Acts were passed, many of them “highly controversial and unpopular.” For next session, Afr Cosgrave had already given notice, there will be introduced Bills dealing with the liquor trade, the Shannon scheme, the Banking Commission report, and city government. All these are hotly debated, controversial questions, hut the Government declared its determination of persevering with them, turning neither to the right nor to the left. The real difficulty which the Irish Government liaiT to surmount arises out of the condition of the country. No impartial critic could deny that Afr Cosgrave and his colleagues have done their work well, and that they have been more successful than anyone would have ventured to anticipate even five years ago. The industrial position is improving, tlio financial situation is sound, and in a social as well as an economic sense the country is entering upon a new era of steady and orderly progress. But the process of transition is always monotonous and depressing, and any party that promises better tilings is sure of some support. For the security and the stability of the country the choice to he made between ATr Cosgrave and Afr De Vnlern is obvious, and as the present strong man of Ireland it seems necessary to assure the welfare of tlio country and bring nlbout its letter regeneration that Mr Cosgrave should he maintained in the political leadership of the country.