REDMOND'S RETURN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 270, 14 November 1910, Page 5

REDMOND'S RETURN.

MB. O'BRIEN'S CRITICISM. DANCING ON THE TIGHTROPE. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyrignt) . (Received 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, November 13. Mr. Wm. O'Brien, M.P., speaking at Dungarvon, said Mr. Redmond is returning with another lot of boodle, which he has scraped together by tumbling and tightrope dancing in America. "When Redmond had banked the dollars he cabled a recantation of his support of Devolution. Doubtless Mr. O'Connor also makes penance for his Canadian speeches." Bonfires were lighted on the hills throughout parts of Ireland when Mr. Redmond landed. NO GOING BACK. BUT BEAST TO HELP OTHERS. (Received 8.35 ajn.) LONDON, November 13. Mr. T. P. O'Connor has landed at Liverpool from America. He disclaimed any intention of going back on the old demand for Home Rule, but Home Rulers were ready to assist other parts of the Kingdom in obtaining a position analogous to that claimed by Ireland. TEABIHG THE CONSTITUTION WITH AMERICAN MONET. (Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, November 13. Mr. Redmond was welcomed at Queenstown on landing from America by a torchlight procession. The "Observer" states that Mr. Redmond has landed with 200,000 dollars in his pocket for the purpose of tearing down the British Constitution with American money. Unless the New York correspondent of the "Express" grievously misreports Mr. John Redmond, a great change has taken place in the spirit of the Nationalist leader's dream of Home Rule, writes our London correspondent on October 7. The "Express" man, however, declares that .the text of his cable, which gives a full and particular account of the meaning Mr. Redmond attaches to Home Rule, is in Mr. Redmond's very own •words. That being so, we can only open our eyes with wonder at the marvellous extent to which Mr. Redmond haa changed his views on >fche subject of self-government for Ireland. From the furious 'bull 'bellowing for Home Rule, lock, stock and 'barrel, Mr. Redmond has turned into a ringdove, gently cooing for a measure of local self-govern-ment rather less complete than every American State enjoys. We (have all— Conservatives, (Liberals, Socialists and Nationalists—mistaken our Redmond. Buit it is his own fault. Look just at these excerpts from speeches he has delivered during the last fifteen years, and then consider his New York utterances:

Ireland for the Irish is our motto, and the consummation oi all our hopes and aspirations is, in one word, to drive English rule, sooner or later, bag and baggage, from our country. (1905, at Kanturk.)

The first and greatest of the duties of an Irishman is to cherish undying hatred to foreign rule in this country. (1008, at Wexford.)

Our ultimate goal is the national independence of our country. (1901, at Worcester, Mass.)

If it were in my power to-morrow . . to absolutely ema-ncipate Ireland I would do it ... I believe it would be just as possible for Ireland to have a prosperous and free separate, existence as a naition as Holland or Belgium or Switzerland. (August 31, 1904, New York.)

We send, therefore, this message to England:—We tell her that wo Wexford men to-day hate iher rule juat as 'bitterly as our forefathers did when they shed it'heir blood on this spot. We tell her that we are as much rebels to her rule to-day as our (forefathers -were in '98. (June 24, 1907, at New Ross.)

In New York Mr. Redmond says: — "Our demand for Home Rule does not mean that we want to break with the British Empire. We are entirely loyal to the English as such, and we desire to strengthen the Imperial 'bonds through a federal system of government. . .

"We meam by Home Rule the same measure of (local Iself-governmenit for Ireland as exists in each American Staite, though with the difference that wo are perfectly willing that Westminster, not only to form a nucleus of over local legislation enacted in Ireland. "We do not demand suoh complete local autonomy as ithe British selfgoverning colonies possess. We are willing to forego the right of making our own tariff and are prepared to abide •by any fiscal system enacted by the British. Parliament.

"Also, we are prepared to bear. our full burden with England, Scotland and Wales in supporting such Imperial charges as the Army, Navy and Diplomatic Corps.

"We do not want t» discontinue out representation in the House of Commons when Home Rule comes. We desire to have Irish members sitting at Westminster, not only t oform a nucleus of the ultimate Federal Parliament of the Empire, 'but also to assist in legislation concerning Gireat Britain and Ireland collectively, such as old-age pensions. We do not mean iby Home Rule to give Ireland exclusive control over such questions as old-age pensions, which are enacted for Great Britain and Ireland as a single .political unit.

"But we want Ireland to decide for herself such local measures as do not concern.in any way Great Britain, and an Irish Legislature ifor this purpose is Home Rule's sine qua non.

"We are strongly in favour of a Federal Empire, a-nd once we receive Home Rule we shall demonstrate our Imperial loyalty beyond question."