HOME RULE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1916, Page 7

HOME RULE.

To the Editor Sir, —As a reader of your paper I beg to express a hope that you will give a good space in your columns for the full and fair discussion of this subject, and not confine the question to the parties who have so far taken part in it. I think Mr. Wright made a mistake in laying so much stress on English gold. If there is a reason for the existence of the world as a producing power, then I maintain that it exists for the production of man rather than for the production of gold. "An honest man, though e'er so poor, is a king o' men.'' That being so, I a man can answer the purpose of existence as effectively in a comparatively poor state fis he can in the most richly endowed surroundings. Honesty of purpose is the great thing; it is the foundation of all worthy character. Happiness, intelligence, wealth, prosperity, progress and power naturally flow from an honest open mind. England and Scotland (forming a kingdom) stand second to no nation that ever existed, or that exists now, in the love of freedom, justice and fair play. No nation was ever more anxious to do the right thing; to think the highest thought; to aspire after the worthy object. No nation ever produced better men, nobler men, more kindly men, more unselfish men. What, then, means all this vilification and. low references with respect to England and Englishmen by the priests and politicians of Ireland-? One would think by the talk that goes on that Home Rule would turn Ireland into an earthly paradise. Tt would be more likely to turn it into a bear's garden, where politicians and priests would light to the death for the upper hand in the control of the people and all that concerns them. The priests o'' Ireland need to be put into their proper places. There will be neither peace nor progress in Ireland until'this is done. Let the priest learn to serve, and not for ever aspire to dominate. No people has ever prospered where priests were allowed to get on the top of things. They are on the top of things in Ireland, and the Irish people ought to shift thein out of that.—l am. etc., J. 0. TAYLOR. Waiongona, August 2 s