,FACTS ABOUT HOME-RULE.
[To THZ EDITOR OP THE "Sr1.em0n."]
Sfit,—You will perhaps let me lay before your readers some considerations as to Home-rule, because with England lies the arbitrament of the fate of us who live in the South and West of Ireland.
We all know that Mr. Redmond has obtained a large sum from America to finance his following. For my part I do not blame him, since he could get little or nothing in Ireland, not through lack of money, if there was a will to give it. There
are millions in the Savings Bank and in the joint-stock banks. Surely the obvious conclusion is that the mass of our people do not care much about Home-rule. Then there is the fact that Ireland is both over-represented and misrepresented. She is entitled at the most to sixty seats, and of those a fair representation of the minority would command from twenty.
five to thirty. Hence the preponderance of Home-rule votes is altogether misleading, and will only impose on those who are ignorant of the facts. Next, I venture to suggest that unless England thoroughly satisfies Ireland things will be better left as they are, especially as Ireland's economic prosperity is now advancing by leaps and bounds. Half.
measures will be worse than useless. The least that Ireland would accept would be the Colonial status, which means that she would be free to dispose of her own revenue and that her Parliament should be no more subordinate than that of New Zealand (though a nominally subordinate position might be accepted at first).
England at present runs Ireland at an annual loss of two millions and a quarter, and this contribution she must continue under Home-rule, for Ireland's view, as Mr. Redmond has said, is that England "has robbed her in the past of hundreds of millions," so that this contribution would be but a small instalment of restitution. England, in fact, must pay the piper while Ireland calls the tune. In the same way repayments of instalments of land purchase in which England
has invested sixty millions must be left to the goodwill of Ireland, for to retain her control over Irish finance would be fatal to that "union of hearts" which Home-rule is intended to bring about.
Lastly, as to the fate of the minority outside Ulster, we have lived hitherto on sufferance, liable any moment to the boycott, the cattle-drive, or other outrage ; but bad as is our present, our future under Home-rule Magistrates and police would be intolerable. There will be no protection against malicious injuries, cattle-driving would be legalised, and laws impossible at Westminster would be passed at College Green. There will be nothing for us to do but to clear out, and Home- rule should in justice pay the compensation. Surely England is in honour bound to see that we should suffer no loss, much less be handed over to those who hate us because of our - loyalty to her. But does no one in Ireland care for Home- rule ? Yes ; all who for the last thirty years have hungered for the spoils of victory. With a Tammany Hall in College Green all these organisers of outrage would at last reap their
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