Sir Henry Fowler has addressed an important letter on the
Irish question to the Chairman of the East Wolverhampton Liberal Association. There are, he say s, three divergent policies at present advocated by prominent members of the Liberal party—(a) Uncompromising adherence to the Bills of 1886 and 1893. This he dismisses as wholly impracticable, and involving the disruption, if not the destruction, of the Liberal party. (b) The view that the Bills of 1886 and 1893 are dead, but that their principles are alive. Their embodi- ment in a new scheme, however, must be postponed to some suitable opportunity in the uncertain future. This also Sir Henry Fowler dismisses as impracticable. (c) Recognition of the altered attitude of the Liberal party and of public opinion in regard to Home-rule since 1892. The chief modifying factors are—(1) the repudiation by the Irish leaders of the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament insisted on by Mr. Gladstone ; (2) the passing of the Irish Local Government Act of 1898, and the necessity for giving it a fair trial and further extension; (3) the hostile attitude of the Irish Nationalists in regard to the war. Recognition of these facts, continues Sir Henry, brings us face to face with Lord Rosebery's policy,— viz., the refusal to support an independent Dublin Parliament, or anything leading up to it; the advocacy of the further development of local government in accordance with Irish ideas, drastic reform of the Castle Administration, and devolution of local business ; and the recognition of the fact that the Irish question can only be settled by the concurrence and patriotism of both political parties. This Sir Henry Fowler believes to be the only practical policy.
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