Of all instances of national mismanagement the treatment of Ireland
is surely the worst. Here we have simultaneously a debate on an Irish Education Bill which is good in itself but which infuriates the Roman Catholics whom the Government presumably wish to placate ; an entirely new Home Rule Bill in contemplation, though the introduction of this Bill is con- tinually being postponed ; and the application of martial rule to Ireland, although the burden of the Government's argument is that the granting of Home Rule would bring about the restoration of order. The crowning absurdity is that the Govern- ment have held up the Education Bill after letting it be a bone of contention for a few days. We are, of course, only taking the reasoning of the Government as it is presented to us. We do not, for our part, suppose for a moment that any conceivable Homo Rule Bill that would be compatible with the safety of the kingdom would be accepted by the Irish extremists, or would in itself do anything to restore order or snake human life re- spected. The proposed Irish Bill will apparently propose two State Legislatures, one for the whole of Ulster and the other for the rest of Ireland ; and there will be a Council of Ireland tc join the two together.
