WHY IRELAND DEMANDS HOME RULE
Maoriland Worker, Volume 7, Issue 301, 22 November 1916, Page 6
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WHY IRELAND DEMANDS HOME RULE
Editor, ( 'Tho 31aoiila l ud Worker, —Thero a 10 many, even in the selfgoverning countries ot Australasia, who say that Ireland does not want Homo Kule; thut the country is well governed; that the laws passed by the imperial Parliament lor Kiigland, Ire- Hind and Scotland arc equally good; that Ireland'a grievance is c piirejy sentimental one, and that therelore tiici'.o is )ju real necessity lor a i'hung>ut government. Uut a little eonsideraliou of the subject aii'.i a iitvio analysis of tho "Anglo-Saxon diiticulty," will soon dispel ttiat illusion irom any mind tJiat is not fiouded by Ignorance, nrejudice' or bigotry. It has been admitted by sjtntesmeu and political economists that it is the rijiht of every cotuitry tv govcrii itself. Jiw truth nf this to persons of liberal minds, and common senso heeds no proof, as it is self-evident and is in itself an unanswerable argument iv favour of Home Kule. And if Ireland had, in a sad hour of national weakness, become a dependency of another power, lapse of time- has given no right and can never give a right to the possession of that which has l>een obtained by wrong. But as I have said, thero are thoso who say that Jreland has no grievance. I will waive the above point of an unanswerable argument, and prove that at tho present and for many a woary year in the past, Ireland is and has been misgoverned, and that through that misgovcrnment tho country is'to-day poor and helpless and must remain in that condition until it is given tho right to manago its own affairs. Lord Macaulay has said, and said truly, that .wherever the governed are in a state 1 of disaffection there is something wrong in the governing power. For 700 years, Ireland has- been disaffected. To prove this, it is not necessary to dwell on a sad chapter of Irish history, and tho insurrections, agitations,- agrarian crimes and secret societies which had their origin in that disaffection—the result of misgovernment and a long penal night of suffering and of sorrow. Ireland to-day is disaffected, and will so continue, so long as shu is poor and depressed, so, loop; as sho is overtaxed, so long as r?r cities and towns aro in a decaying state, with few industries and manufactures, so long as she is under martial law and so long as her sons and daughters are going to foreign lands to seek a livelihood they cannot find at homo. , But it may bo. argued by thoso who aro opposod to the granting of Homo Rule, why not start factories and industries in Ireland, independent of any Parliament, foreign or native? Thcso aro purely commercial undertakings and must depend upon tho energy and commercial ability of the pooplo themselves. But, supposing tho necessary capital was in the country to. start manufactures and develop tho country's resources, what security would thero bo for the investment of that capital, and what guarantee would tho country have that what the Imjperial Parliament did in the past in connection with Irish manufactures, it would not do again under similar cfr'll instances, and when the country is deprived of the help, encouragement and fostering care of a native Pal liarnent, I quoto a few instances of how tho English Parliament interlercd with Irish industries in the past: Jll the reign of Charlt:, 11. the transportation of Irish cattle into England was declared a ielony. In WJQ certaiu manufacturers i v England 1 (.'presented tv juliiam 111 -'that the. cheapness of provisions iv Ireland, the advantage of, water power and the goodness of tho climate, doth invite oter his Majesty , u subjects to settle there, and if a sLop be. not put to it by U<giskui,iH Uiai country Auuid itseli ol' tho cj.u:f u-ilo vi die Empire/"' -Kn;- Wiiiiun; u-plit'u: "ueinjciueii, 1 b J Ul |j da all in my power iv promote iho t-uido .of England and uiscuuraye, tho wuoileii niiAiuuaoturc of Ireland." i'no years subdoqiu'mJy, tho English Lords petitioned tho King to the sumo effect with the result that 22 navigation Aces were passed iv 40 years, The object of winch was to destroy tho Liudo of irdand, tw} they Miccecded. These arofjcia of hi.iory' which speak tor themselves. IJuruiv the short period ' of (Jrattan's ParJiiinient, the country prospered by leaps and bourn!*, and if that I'ailian.fiit Jukl continued, Ireland would bo to-day „«« o f Uw hm>k . st iviid most pi-odorous rountries in th u u-or!<I. Sojnc vi' ti it S roat wron g -dono li-uiund h- il,o deprivation of that Parlinmciit j s shortly ai]fl dear] J^ by Mr. U'Keill Datmt, as follows- " t tL.e tiino of the Union the British debt ivfls Blwufc 20] times as Jargo as tho insli debt; to unpose pfjuaJitv of taxation on countries whoso debts were bo unequal would have been a proposition too outrageous even for Pitt and Cnstlercagh. On the sth Junu-ify 1799, Lord Costkrcagh forwarded to the Duke of Portland what he called a short sketch that had been thrown out tp feel tho public sentiment on tho terms of the Union. From his sketch JJe following are on debt and lwC nu«: Hie Exchequer of Ireland to continue separate. Groat Britain to be responsible for her own debt and its reduction. Ireland to be responsible for i< s own debt and it* reduction. v ie r u 11110 censes of Ireland in H -. ir , ulc] peace to bo a fixed rate to the c.v peiiscs of Groat Uritaiii. When tlu- re venue of Ireland shall exceed hor proportion of expenses, the e x ,cs.s i o lm u-pplwd to local purpose, Tho producing this excess to fc, taken df. Lord Castlereagh promised that this excess of Irish revenue over j riili expenses should be apjJ , iofl tfl , purposes in Ireland. This promise was never performed. Ho a l s j that he taxes producing tins « X(;t . ss should bo taken off. The mm fr ;„ which the Inmerial ParliameuL h«s performed fhi.s promise i :S by inereasiivft-i.ii (n-nlinii .'2 pr T <-,■,„( ' '.^ lKI? ','„.£ It '.ho r.'ji-/ii !i;i.-i not ijton euadod we :,liouJ'.l J:.-ive ];?;ijj cicce p;-j'j «/{ ercr v
shilling of the Irish national debt, oner wo should now be otic of the least taxed j .aid most prosperous couinnea iv i Europe." . j Keierriiig to the state of Ireland j atiuiediiitcjy previous 10 its regaining! legislative independence- in 17b2, Sir johaiia llarrjiigton in his "Rise arid; x-'ivll of the Irish Nation," says: "By! the paralysing system adopted towards | Ireland she was at length reduced to ' ilio lowest ebb; her poverty and distress, almost at their extent, wero' advancing fast to their final cousumma-; lion; her commerce had almost ceased;; her manufactures extinguished; her constitution withdrawn; tho peoplo absolutely despairing, while public and individual bankruptcy furnished a. picture of the deepest misery; and the year 1771) fcyjnd- Jrolnml almost j everything but what such a. country and such a peoplo ought to have j been." What si coulmst this presents to tho short period when Ireland enjoyed the blessings of a native Parliament? Tho j same author referring to this period says: "From that day (tho day Ireland togained legislative independence) Ireland rose to wealth and trade and manufactures; agriculture, and every branch of industry that could enhance her value- and render a people rich and prosperous. She had acquired her scat amongst tho nations of the world. She had asserted her independence against the insolence of Portugal. She- had an Irish navy to protect tho shorps. She had declared a perpetual league of national unity and aid with great Britain. The Court of her Viceroy appeared as splendid «»s her monarch's. Her nobles resided and expended their great fo>tunes amongst the Irish people ; the Commons all resided on their I own demesnes, supported and fostered a laborous and tranquil tenantry. Thfc peace- of the country was perfect, no standing army, no militia, no police ! were wanting for its preservation; tho ! activity of the volunteers had sup! pressed crime iv every district; ro- I ligious prejudices i were gradually di! rninishing; every means of amelioration wero in contemplation or in progress. But by some inscrutable will '' of heaven, it was decreed that she- I should soon bo again erased from tho i list of nations. Punished , without a crime and laid prostate at tho feet of a jealous ally." Ireland has since the passing of that Act of Union (?) been overtaxed to a great extent as has been shown by tho findings of the Royal Commission appointed in 1894 to consider the financial relations between Great Britain and Ireland. Tho Commissioners agreed on tho following points: That Great Britain and Ireland for tho purposes of the enquiry.be considered as separate entities; that tho Act of Union imposed upon Ireland a burden which sho was unable to bear; that the increase of taxation imposed upon Ireland between ■' 1803 and IB6o'was not Justified: that identity of rates of taxation did not involve equality of burden ; that whilst the tax levenue of Ireland was about 1-11 of that of Great Britain, the ' relative taxable capacity of Ireland was v«*ry much smaller anrl did not exceed 1-20. it has also been shown that the cost or government of Ireland is a, great deal more than that ol cnvotiuud. The total revenue raised in Ireland is about j d-j millions sterling. Of this sum over i ?i millions is Expended- in local ad-j ministration. In Scotland, with about; tho same population as Ireland, iho' oust of local administration is a little over 5} millions or £'2,000,000 less; than Ireland. The cost of the Judici-j ary and Police is £1,200,000 more in j Ireland than in Scotland. Again, tho! number of officials iv Ireland is 2794 with incomes amounting to £1,025,8J-l. ! The. number iv Scotland is P-10 with in-! comes amounting to £301,075. That is' that Ireland has 1,8.3'! more officials! thfm Scotland and pays them £720,000 more. > With those facts and figures, how can any intelligent and conscientious person assert that Ireland enjoys equal law? with England and Pmtlnnd, and that Ireland's grievance is only a sentimental one? . the geographical position of Ireland fits it for a commercial country. Its harbours are- snmo of tho, finest and safest in the world. It has j several navu.'nblp rivers. Tho land is Kpnp.rnl.lv , fertile and in parts wellwooded with several resources, and tho climate is mild. But sad to say, those harbours are shipless,' the rivers nre flnwinc; i«lly to the sea, thf* resources are undeveloped, and the tido of emigration flows srofs<Jily''anfl stroflfflv from the? Irish sh.nre. What then j is tho cause of Ireland's misery and i Ireland's helplessness? What is tho cause- of Irish emigration? Is it any want of physical or mental qualities in j thn Irish nonple? No, for in every land to which Irishmen have gono they have prospered, and some have risen to the highest positions in tho professional, commercial, and political world. And have they not proved their capacity to govern in thoso. countries that enjoy the blessings of self-government—in the United States of America, in tho Commonwealth of Australia, and in tho Dominions of Canada and New Zealand. No; the cause of Ireland's misery and Ireland's sorrows- is that iiiisitoviMiiniont which lias crushed and | whic.li so lonnr .as it lasts will -nontiinie J to crush and keep Ireland poor and! helpless. « j It is therefore clear that the only euro for poor Ireland's many ills is tho restoration of her legislative inde-j pendenco. This alone will give < her hope and strength. This alone wtll raise her from her fallen state- and bring the bright glow of health to her pale and worn cheek. This alone will keep her children with her and l>rin<r many of tho scattered ones back to her again. And although dark clouds aro aiill over her, and tho run of sor-| row is still to her lips, and fresh! I loaves hpve '" : <- e n added to the Cypress ' I wiwth on. Jicr Kile brw, bj.;}] j^;
requires no "second sight" to sec cu-en by her exiled children by these far southern soas that the loiig, dark night of suffering is nigh over, and a bright day will soon dawn and dispel these clouds of Buffering and of sorrow. And th,ey can say to her in tho words of her national bard: — i "Iho nations ,havo fallen, but tbou still art young, . Thy sun is but rising, when others have set, And .tho' slavery's cloud round thy morning have hung, The full moon of Freedom shall beam round thee yet." Thai that day may soon ooino should not only be tho prayer of all of Ireland's children, at homo and in exile, but also tho prayer of every lover of liberty, justice and peace tho wide worid over. . • W. KELLIUEK. : ~. Wellington, October, 1916
