The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1910 THE NEW HOME RULE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 271, 15 November 1910, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1910 THE NEW HOME RULE.

.i ■ « ■ m rmrtius crm that lacks a**i*tanee, for the wrong that need* remittance. War the futmre in the dittamee. And the good that we oae de.

vEhe return of Mr. Redmond to Ireland after his American tour could hardly ■have been timed more opportunely. For ite comes, back to the political stage just at the moment -when .the failure of the Veto Conference has 'been publicly announced, and the two great parties are girding themselves afresh for a desperate effort in a struggle wiidch may materially alter the 'British constitution, and even change the course of our Empire's history. And iinless the threatened election modifies the whole political situation, the Nationalists may reasonably expect to hold the balance of pcrweT in Parliament for a long time to came. Mr. Redmond has made a great success of his American mission. He has not only revived the interest of the Irish-Americans in Home Rule, but he has secured a large- amount of pecuniary support for the movement. And the overwhelming enthusiasm "with which the people of Ireland have welcomed him back shows plainly enough that Mr. Redmond is on safe ground when he claims to speak for his nation. In spite of all Mr. O'Brien's vindictive sarcasms and the outcries of a noisy handful of malcontents, Mr. Redmond commands the confidence, of Ireland and controls the Irish Parliamentary party to an extent unparalleled since the days of Parnell. And it is a significant proof of Mr. Redmond's own farth in his ultimate success that he lhas again publicly declared his intention of playing off the Liberals and the Uniojßsts against each otherj so as .to win freedom -for Ireland out of England's necessities.

It is natural that in addressing an Irish audience the Nationalist leader should adopt toward Jpngland the aggressive tone 'traditional in such circumstances. But perhaps the best augury for >Ir. Redmond's final triumph is that in stating his views for the ibenefit of Parliament and the English public he is extremely moderatte and conciliatory, There was a time when Mr. Redmond apparently believed that nothing but violence would force from England due recognition of Ireland's rights. Kifceen years ago lie italked of driving the Eng-* lisb. out xjl Ireland, "bag and baggage." Even nine years ago he declared that the ultimate goal of his party was "the national independence of our country." But* he has learned wisdom Iby experience; and the heavy political responsibilities that lie ihas had to support have compelled ihim ito ccc that he cannot expect to gain -his point by ignoring British claims and Imperial interests altogether. In other words, Mr. Eedmond's convictions aiboat the special form that Home Rule should, take have ■been substantially modified in recent years; and just before 'he started on his American tour he stated hi* views 'puibliely in clear and unmistakable terms. "Our demand for Homo Kule," he declared, "does] not mean that <we "want to l>reaik with the British Empire. We are entirely loyal to the Empire as each; it is false to picture us as desiring to fight our Imperial kin." What the Nationalist leader means by Home Rule as "the same measure of local seM-govexttmeirfc for Ireland as exists in each. A-m«»riM»i State, though with the difference that Westminster shall have the final auttuudty over local legislation enacted in Ireland as it has over colonial legislation." To make his position perfectly intelligible, Mr. Redmond added that Ireland does not demand even such, complete loca l autonomy as the British colonies possess; for it is willing to accept any fiscal system that the Imperial Parliament enacts, and to bear its part in supporting the Imperial army and navy. But Ireland must have the right "to decide for herself such local measures as do not concern Great Britain in i any way," and to do this effectually she must have a Parliament of her own.

It ie perhaps hardly to be expected ■that Mr. Redmond's political opponents would, ibe prepared to do full justice to ! these reasonable and explicit declarations.. As a matter of fact, certain Unionist newspapers still insist on talking of the Nationalists as if they were rebels and revolutionaries, and describe. Mr. Redmond as the most reckless and incendiary .of them all. It was to counteraob these misrepresentations in America that Mr. Redmond contributed an illuminating article entitled "What Ireland Wants" to a recent issue of "McOlure'a Magazine"; and anybody who wishes to satisfy 'himself about the real inwardness of the Home Rule movement can leaarn the truth there. Admitting that there is still a great deal of doubt and uncertainty as to wshat the Nationalists really mean, ilr. Kedmond endeavours to explain in simple language the full scope of Home Rule. "What Ireland wants," he tells us, "is

the restoration of responsible government, neither more nor less. T\he Irish demand is that the government of every purely Irish affair shall be coatroEed by the public opinion of Ireland and by that alone. We do mot seek any alteration of the constitution or the supremacy of tae Imperial Parliament. We ask (merely to .be permitted to take oar- place in ithe . Tanks of those ' other portions of the British Emoixe —some ia,

number—-xslhich -in • their own purely local affairs are governed by free representative institutions of their own/ These demands, he proceeds to show, are in every sense reasonable and justifiable. For more than 500 years Ireland had a Parliament of her own. It was taken irom her by an Act which one of the greatest of English historians has described as " a crime of the deepest turpitude." The sacrifice of nationality,

Lecky tells us, "was extorted from Ireland by the most enormous corruptions in the 'history of representative institutions." Against this usurpation of her rights Ireland has never ceased to pro-

test; and these facts constitute her historic title to self-government. But, in addition to this, the Nationalists can point to the fact that England's attempts to govern Ireland have failed consistently and hopelessly. Ireland's population has declined; her industrial prosperity has vanished. She is torn by dissensions and the ascendancy of the alien Government

can be maintained only by coercion. England's failure is universally admitted. -What sound argument can there be against conceding the right of local selfgovernment, which is all that Ireland claims? More than two years ago the House of Commons, by a majority of over 150 votes, adopted Mr. Redmond's resolution In favour of conceding to Irelaiad

"the legislative and executive control of all purely Irish affairs, subject to the supreme authority of the Imperial Parliament." Surely the time has come to recognise that this solemn pledge must be fulfilled, and to realise that when the claim of Home Rule is dispassionately considered,. " all the fears and arguments of honest opponents must," in Mr. Redmond's wordSj " vanish into thin air."