The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1910. IRELAND AND HOME RULE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 12982, 25 January 1910, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald. [PUBLISHED DAILY.] TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1910. IRELAND AND HOME RULE.

John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Nationalists in the Commons, expresses jonfidence in the Prime Minister fulfillinglis pledge to grant a. measure of Home, iiile to Ireland, and he makes the signifi:ant declaration that Irishmen do not as'c :or separation. How far Mr Redmond represents the views of the Irish Party we ire not in a. position to say, hut certain t is that one of the main reasons why lonie Rule has hitherto heen denied is the 'ear that such a step will tend to separation and a disruption of the Empire. Mr Vsquith stated as recent as last week that he Liberal Party would, after the scttl:nciit of the trouble with the Lords, be free o support- any measure giving Ireland ■self-government in purely Irish affairs, subject to the unimpaired supremacy of he Imperial Parliament." And it would ,?em, if we may judge from the result of he elections now proceeding in the Old 'omitry, that the Nationalists will hold lie balance of power! and be in a position r> dictate the terms upon which their al-'gianc-j to the Liberal Party is to he uiintained. It is evident, therefore, that lonic Rule for Ireland will again become ■ lie foremost issue in British polities, for '. (iovei'iinu'iit that will not be able to novo in any direction without the concurrence of the Irish Nationalist Party mus£ iccede to its wishes, though before Home tnle can be given to Ireland the veto of lie lions? of Lords will have to lie abol'shd, for (lie Lords, as at present constinted, will never grant Ireland the retreat it asks. At the last elections, lonic Rule was overshadowed by the tariff nd educational issues, and though the eform of the House of Lords and the fisal issue arc uppermost in the minds of ho great mass of the electors of Britain, I, .seems tolerably certain that Home Rule or Ireland cannot be dismissed from the ield of urgent politics. It is not a dead >r a. dying issue. Ireland can make, and s making, steady progress without it, but lone the less she will not be satisfied till die gets it. The people are more confuted than they have been for some years, md are growing into a better condition; aontli by month, year by year. They are raying out their own holdings, and there s said to be an air of general prosperity ibout the country that has not existed for uany years. All the same, Ireland still rics aloud for Homo Rule. And there is iow a note of eager hope in the cry. There is a general belief that if the Liberals ars •eturned to power they will take up Ireand's issue. To be sure, all the members >f the Government are not avowed Home Rulers, but the majority of Ministers, in•luding the Prime Minister (Mr Asquith) vre deeply pledged to try to the utternost of their ability to give Ireland what ihe wants at the earliest opportunity. Mr Vsquitli says plainly that any scheme of Home Rule which may be submitted will orovide for the supremacy of the Imperial. Parliament, and Mr Redmond, speaking on behalf of his compatriots, expresses :onfidence in the fulfilment of the Govern- ! ueut pledge, and, apparently, satisfaction it the measure of Home Rule expected Jf course separation of Ireland aud Bri-

tain is unthinkable, and if Kelt-govern-ment will bring about content ui>;;t it met, - ! strengthen the bonds between the two ;■*- lands, 'this is the view of Koine Rule which commands the :usenl of a very hrge proportion of colonials. AN e have had self-govuram.ul -or Ins’l a sa iilury- and w.ii never give it u; . Kat we also acknowledge the supremacy d the Imperial I’-’ l ' lianirnt, though that power is wi.-ny held iu nserve, is unobtrusive, resjeetlul and courteous. And so colonials believe that pretty well all the difficulties in the wa>of the gieal eoneession of Koine Rule v.iA be overcome if ttreat Rritain absolute’) - in isted on —and Ireland heartily accepted —the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament. The elect urns are not yet over, and it may be that the Unionists will yet poll sufficient to prevent the Liberals having the opportunity of making goad Mr Asquith’s pledge in reference to Homo Rule for Ireland. In any case, a working Uniaui t majority seems unlikely, and nothing 1 ut a strong Liberal reaction ea.i save the situation.