The greater part of the discussion upon the Insurance Bill
in the House of Commons on Tuesday and Wednesday centred in Clause 59, which deals with the application of the Bill to Ireland. Mr. O'Brien, who was fiercely assailed by the Redmondites, declared that, instead of offering an insured person in Ireland 9d. for 44., the Chancellor of the Exchequer was offering him nothing for 3d. The Bill was designed to benefit the members of the Ancient Order of Hibernian exclusively. The Molly Maguires were in no sense a genuine friendly society. The claim was only invented when this Bill promised to provide a splendid endowment for them. He was told the password of the society was, " Will the times be good?" the answer being, "Yes, when we are insured." The true busi- ness of the body was to capture the public life of the country, the public organizations and funds, in the interests of its secret leaders. To this Mr. Redmond retorted that it was not a secret society, as it was sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. O'Brien's amendment was eventually defeated.
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