SEEDS OP DISUNION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 71, 24 March 1910, Page 5

SEEDS OP DISUNION.

GREY ON TARIFF REFOSM. LONDON, March 23. Sir Edward Grey (Foreign Secretary), addressing a free trade demonstration" in' London, declared that tariff reform ■would make British politics not only pro fligate but corrupt, and introduce the seeds of disunion and disruption of the Empire. . The reference by Mr. T. P. O'Connor to the two millions extra taxation upon Ireland is in reply to the contention of the O'Bricnites, who hold that this extra burden will be cast upon Ireland, and are pledged to vote against these financial proposals. The Nationalist attitude was explained by Mr. John Redmond in a speech at a banquet tendered him in Dublin the day before the last..mail left England. He said the great issue on which they had fought the election was not the Budget or land. reform; it was Home Rule for Ireland. The veto of the Lords stood against Home Rule, and the result of the election had been to return a majority of over 120 against the Lords' veto and in favour of Home | Rule, and even if Ireland were not reckoned at all, there would be a purely British majority of 62 against the Lordsveto and in favour of Home Rule. But I Ireland was once more the dominant I issue of the Imperial Parliament. They J gave their support at the last election to the Liberal party, not merely on Mr. Asquith's declaration of Home Rule. i That was an important declaration. It I was a, declaration that full self-govern- ; ment for Ireland was the policy of th« Liberal Government and Cabinet, and of the Liberal party. The Liberal party had come "back to the standard of Gladstone and Home Rule, but in his opinion that was not enough. Every child knew that if Mr. Asquith introduced a Home Rule measure in the New Parliament it would be rejected by the Lords, aud tho pledge that decided the Irish party in its support of the Liberal party was thu Prime Minister's pledge that neither be nor his colleagues would ever assume or retain office again unless they were given assurances that they would* be able to curb a.nd limit the veto of the House of Lords. lie had always regarded Mr. Asquitb as a man of his word, and he never had the slightest reason to believe that Mr. Asquith would not stand by his word, "and 1 say," said Mr. Rudxnond, i "it is inconceivable that in this matter he should not waver in his. purpose— to palter with his pledges. To do so would, in my judgment, be to wreck the Liberal party and to drive them for the next ; twenty years into the wilderness, and I, i won't insult him by suggesting that he '■ lias any such intention, it has been suggested by the 'Westminster Gazette' and other so-called Liberal organs, that he should pass the Budget and deal with tI»R Question of tliG veto nfc some conveaient time in th« future. That is to say, it is seriously suggested that, having won a victory at the polls against the Lords, he should send the Budget back to them with a request to be kind enough to pass it into law. To do so would be to give the w/.ole case against the Lords away."