THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1913. ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15856, 30 August 1913, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1913. ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

Mr Redmond, leader of the Nationalist party in the House of Commons, has prophesied, that Home Rule for Ireland will, with the King's consent, become law on June 7, 1914. While such an exactitude respecting the date is suggestive of unusual confidence', it is possible that to J many ears it will carry about as much convictiom as the predictions of those pessimistic people who have the early disintegration of the universe always' in view. Mr Redmond's statement is hardly a rash, one, however, and, unless something rather unexpected happens, it is likely to be verified. In the meantime it is impossible to deny that the position of the Government in its Tesponsibility in relation to Home Rule is far from enviable, and little in the way of satisfactory assurance is offered in ,itß behalf respect ing the ultimate solution of the Ulster problem. In Ulster, we are told, it is felt that the time for speech-making is past, and the' resistance to Home Rule is gradually losing its political aspect and developing into semi-military preparations. The Ulster Unionist Council is prepared to defy the authority of the hish Parliament should Heme Rule become law, and such is the temper of opposing factions in Belfast at the present time that insurances against riote to the extent of over ten millions sterling are said to have been effected within the last ; few weeks. In fact, the situation shows no signs of improvement, and the prospect

of a modus wvendi seems as remote »6 ever. The Uisfermen proclaim their intentions, op every possible occasion: they are left -with practically a monopoly of the platform.' And apparently they aire counting upon the Government yielding in some form or otter to their agitation at the last moment In a recent issue of The • Times an apparently -wellinformed correspondent stated tliat it seemed to be generally assumed 'in the North of Ireland that if the Government should venture so far as to place the Home Rule Bill upon the Statute Book without confirmation of its Irish policy at a general election, it would newer dare, in the last resort, to enforce the Acfi by means of British troops. "After discussing the question with military men in Ulster and elsewhere," the writer continues, " I think that their present attitude may fairly be described as one of uneasiness tempered by the hope, and in many casaS the firm belief, that the Government will never, force the issue to the point 'at which Ulster would be compelled to take up arms. Nevertheless the uneasiness is increasing, for all I thoughtful men realise that, under the 1 strain of Ulster's preparation racial and

religious animosities pre' rapidly rising to the surface, and that, under these conditions, any trifling incident may thro? the whole country into an uproar of strifi not easy to be quelled."

The recent disturbances over the Dewy celebrations have heen evidence enough, if evidence he required, of the existence of these racial and religious animosities. The utterances of the leaders of the anti-Home Ernie movement have', of course, not been precisely conciliatory in tone, and it is not ■without some 6how of reason that' the suffragista complain that a freedom or license of speech has been permitted in the case of the champions of Ulster which has not been disregarded in the champions of the rights of women. The incitement to ■resistance has been frank enough in either case. That responsible statesmen have been advocating the adoption of unconstitutional methods of resistance to tho introduction of Home Role is unquestionable, and is practically admitted. Most' prominent among them k Sir Edward Carson, who discusses - Homo Rule in what wo may perhaps describe as anything but the manner that might be expected from a member of his Majesty's Privy Council. Speaking at the Boyne celebrations at Belfast on July 12, he said that the people of Ulster intended, if the Home Rule Bill was put upon the Statute Book, to take over the government for themselves. The autumn, would be spent, in perfecting their machinery for that purpose. When they had set up a provisional government, as they undoubtedly would, they would then call upon all those who paid direct taxes in that country to refuse to pay them to any Government which was going to hand them over to a Home Rule Parliament. He hoped there would be a general refusal throughout the province of Ulster to pay any taxes in such circumstances. Then, if the Government did not intend to use force, let it try to collect the taxes without force. But supposing the Government tried to enforce the" tares, they must make it impossible at all costs and at all hazards, for they would never allow their money and their taxes to go to support a Parliament of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Sir EdwaTd Carson rather quaintly want on to say that somebody might suggest that he was talking a great deal of illegality. Ho was, ha declared, prepared for the eonseqnencesj All he thought of was his Covenant: to him it was the text and the foundation of what was illegality and what was legality, and everything that was necessary to carry out that' Covenant he believed, in his conscience, he was entitled to do in order to defeat Heme Rule. In the senso in which it sets conscience against the law such a speech, eminent jurist though its author be, can hardly be considered an appeal to reason.