Mr. Montague Cookson, originally a Home-ruler, has been travelling in
Ireland, and has come to the conclusion that the National League is an atrocious tyranny. In Cork, Limerick, and Clare, it is the true Government, the Government which is obeyed. The League, when it does no worse, boycotts any one it pleases, and the terrorism operates on unwilling subjects. "Tradesmen will refuse to supply goods to a boycotted, but still popular, land-agent, and then come to him at night, muffled up and disguised, to express their regrets and apologies. With an organisation so complete and so secret, no man can trust his neighbour. A blacksmith dare not be seen shoeing a boycotted landlord's horse, for a forge is a public place ; yet he will help him to remove a stone from the horse's foot if he meet him in a solitary lane." Mr. Cookson believes that there are only two alternatives before the Government, to suppress the League root and branch by force—that is, in fact, to make Ireland a Crown Colony—or, which he would prefer, to concede Home.rule. We have every respect both for Mr. Cook-son's insight and his sincerity ; but is not his morality a little at fault ? Because the League is so cruel and so lawless and so successful, therefore, he says, hand over Ireland, including two millions of the unwilling, to its control.
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