The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1885. HOME RULE FOR IRELAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1445, 22 December 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1885. HOME RULE FOR IRELAND.

The question of Home Ruin for Ireland ' is evidently the sensation of tlie day in Imperial politics. One day we am told by cable that Messrs Gladstone, Uhamberlain and Sir William'Unrcourt will support Mr Parnell's amendment on the Address-in-liepiy demanding Horn" Rule for Ireland ; next day we find it stated that Mr Gladstone is prepared to concede Home Rule, while the next message brings as his denla'. And still the Loudon Times announces that Mr Gladstone has submitted to the Queen » plan for the establishment of mi Irish Parliament, and that the Qui en lias submitted it to her responsible advisers. The Times still further lectures Mr Gladstone, and saus the conscience of i he country is shocked at a policy which might lead to a disruption of the Empire. Our opinion is that notwithstanding the Grand Old Man's disavowal he has something in hand bearing on the qoestiou. Indeed, it appears to us nothing short of a suicidal policy for England to withhold from Ireland her riirht to make her own laws any longer. The fact is she nm<t give it, or Mr -Parnell will carrr out his oft repeated threat of rendering the government of England impossible. Thfie is i nothing more easy. Notwithstanding | the cloture, Mr Parnell can obstruct | business better than ever now. He has 86 members ready to do and to dare anything ; he b*s only to give the word of command, and they will do his bidding without asking the reason why. Supposing, then, that Mr Parnell finds nil his arguments disregarded, and ail bis efforts to attain the end he has in view resiste'J, what is more likely than that he will resort to obstruction ? This be can do in a polite way : he need onlj order his followers to spenk against Huron every question that crops up. f-uj - posing he adopts this plan, he Las 86 followers, each of whc m can speak for at least two hours on every question ■but crops up—and under no circum -dances can they be stopped. Iha 1 means that they could extend the h bate on a most trivial question i.ver a mouth ; and those who spoke first would be quite ready to stan fresh for the next question. No cloture, n> Standing Orders, nothing cou-d under any sircumstances prevent th< m ruakintr these speech"*, and consequent I }' there are only two ways of settling the difficulty—namely, by granting Home L<ule to Ireland, or by dir-francbising her altogether. It is n.it likely that England will adopt the latter alternative. To turn all Irishmen out of Parliament would lead to civil war—nwd bring upon England the displeasure of the civilised world. It. is not likely that English statesmen will ever try to govern Ireland as a Crown colony—the fact that an equal franchise was recent!/ extended to that unfortunate country shows without doubt that >uch is not the intention. There is, therefore, only one conclusion that can reasonably be anived at—and that is hut Ireland must get Home Rule before long. ADd what are the arguments against granting it ? Those who talk about a disruption of the Empire know very well Uut the best way to consolidate the empire is to govern in a manner acceptable to the majority of the people. Ihi re can be no doubt any longer as to the views of the majority of irishmen, when 86 of the Irish members •.ire for and only IS against Home Rule. To accede to the. Irish lemands would satisfy the great ,(i,'tj nity of Irishmen, and if war broke ■tit England would find the Irish ready to fight for the integrity of the Empire ; to refuse Ireland's demands is the best way to make her discontented, disloya l , and a source of weakness to England. The great, maj >rity of Irishmen have no desire to separate from England : what they want is what they had bifore—power to made th-ir own laws—such as we enjoy in these colonies The argument that Irishmen are not fit to be entrusted with self-government is dispelled by the fact that they hoid some of the highest pr sitions under the British Crown ; th»t they are the ablest Governors England has ; that in France, Spain, Germany, Austria, North and South America, the Australian Colonies—in fact, in every civi, iiz-d country-rthey hold high positions, and are distinguished for their administrative ahiity. They rule everywhere but iu tb< ir own country ; there they never get the chance. the fact is these are not the reasons England has for withholding Home Kulfl, The true reason is the English people are atraid that if Ireland had power to make her own laws she wou'd adopt the policy of protecting her own industries, and thus shut English goodh out of Ihe Irish markets. That this i would be done we have little doubt. 'Mr Parnell, speaking at Wicklow not j I long ago, mili he believed in protecting such industries »8 poujd be established with advantage in the country, at any rate for some time. This is what the English are afraid of, and they have good reason to be. Ireland's industries flourished before—in fact, never in the history of the worid did any country make such progress as did Ireland .lining tb o years she bad an ! independent Parliament—and if she were to get power to make her own laws n >vv she would soon be as prosper- | , ouß 8p ever. I