THE IRISH NATIONALISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6970, 9 November 1909, Page 6

THE IRISH NATIONALISTS

(To tbs Editor " X.Z. Ttines."’. Sir, —Anything more ridiculous than tho action of the Irish Nationalists in abstaining from voting against Mr Austen Chamberlain's. amendment to reject the Finance Bill in toto, when it came up for its third reading in the House of Commons, is hardly possible, when cognisance is taken of the fact that tho Nationalists, on the advice of Mr William Redmond, passed a resolution calling upon the Government to reject the Lords’ amendments to the Irish Land Purchase Bill, and further stating: “In view of tho serious situation which will immediately arise if this Bill be wrecked by the action of the Lords, wo I appeal to the branches of the Irish Na-I tional League forthwith to take steps to strengthen the organisation in order to ba prepared promptly to dead, with the, crisis.” When' it is remembered tbati the House of Lords has always stood in 1 the way of urgent Irish reform, that,] but for it, tho Irish Home Rule Bill of 1893 would have become law, this ao-| tiou cries aloud for condemnation from ] all sympathisers with Ireland in what, we are led to believe is their struggle] for justice and freedom. Can it bo that this turbulent party is only an “organised hypocrisy”? Their] conduct would seem to justify this charge. They have the same grievance against tho Lords as the Government, yet they refuse to join hands with them in striking a blow at tho prestige of the Upper House. In this, tho most momentous struggle' which has, as yet, taken place between] the two Houses of Parliament, a struggle the result of which- will decide; whether democracy or an old-established ] oligarchy will be supreme, the Irish! Nationalist Party has "refused to fight. , Thus they stand exposed in their genu-; ine colours. They must now forfeit the sympathy and tho support of all Scottish and English Liberals, and devoid of this support, they can never hope to attain their object, granting that they are in earnest about it. They have played fast and loose with the House of Lords, and thoy must now, bear the consequences of their inconsistency and stupidity. During the discussion on the Education Bill, which the present Government introduced shortly after their return to power, one Nationalist declared that “he thanked Clod there was a House of Lords upon whom he could rely to destroy the Bill. Do the Irish Party now thank God that

the House of Lords has mutilated thej Irish Land Purchase Bill? Surely not. Yet this inconsistency and stupidity would seem to be characteristic of the race. AVe had another instance of it during tlio recent by-election in the Dumfries district, where Mr Gulland sought re-election on his acceptance of an office of profit under the Crown. A ; Roman Catholic priest journeyed from Ireland to record his vote against the Budget, the election being fought upon that issue. He stated ho would have gone to the North Pole to'record his vote against the Government rather than purchase reform at the expense of bis religion. Here then may bo found tho key to the situation. The Irish Nationalist Party, like the Irish people, is priest-ridden. They must obey the priests. Hence their inconsistency. There is no hope for Ireland's prosperity until sho ceases to be dominated and cajoled by the priesthood, and the Irish people must recognise that thengreatest enemy is not England —but the Church of Rome. —I am, etc., ARIADNE. Wellington, November G.