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Show IRISH PROSPECTS AND HOPES. The dramatic movements that have revolutionized the face of English political poli-tical life, insofar forth as Irish interests inter-ests are concerned, have sent a thrill crisping over the nerves of the nations. Balfour is a dilettante philosopher who refuses to take politics seriously even when the happiness of a nation depends de-pends upon hisardor 'and consecration to the tasks of government. He has muddled the Irish situation until it resembles re-sembles a picture that a child has thrust his thumb through. He haft seeminclv hame little or no attempt to manage Irish finances economically and eciently, and has let the money which has come in large measure from the poor of the country districts slip through his fingers like the spendthrift spend-thrift heir of a sorrowful house. The fall, resignation, or dismissal, ag it is variously described, of Chief Secretary Sec-retary Wyndham is a principal topic of political interest in both England and Ireland. When taking office, Mr. Wyndham invited the aid and co-operation of Sir Antony MacDonnell, an Irishman, a Catholic, and, if not a Home Ruler, at least a strong Liberal, with sympathetic opinion? for Ireland and an earnest desire, to do what he could for his native country. MacDonnell MacDon-nell had held several important govern-norships govern-norships in India, and had refused the governorship of Bombay with a salary of 10.000 pounds to take the undersecre-taryshlp undersecre-taryshlp in Ireland on the expreM terms that he was to have a free hand. ; and to be a colleague rather than a subordinate of the Chief Secretary. Reform Re-form of the lan! system, of education, of taxation, of the administrative and unrepresentative boards through which Ireland is governed, were the ssJects to which he was to address his mind. With the knowledge and assent of both the Lord Lieutenant and the Chief Secretary. MacDonnell conferred with the representatives of the landlords, the Catholic Bishops, the obstructive Orange faction, the Nationalists In fact, with all whose advice or opposition opposi-tion was1 likely to help or hinder reform. re-form. Prime Minister Balfour had been an assenter to the terms of MacDon-nell's MacDon-nell's appointment and cognizant of his actions; but when MacDonnell's conduct con-duct was questioned in Parliment. both Prime Minister and Chief SeCvetarv first denied, then equivocated, and finally said that they and the whole cabinet had censured MacDonnell for his indefensible conduct. "You may as well tell the truth before be-fore it is dragged out of you," said John Redmond at asi early stage in these debates, and finally jt 'was told and confirmed by a frank letter from the Lord Lieutenant. The Chief Secretary Secre-tary resigned, and has been absent from Parliment. seriously ill from derangement de-rangement of his nerves." but the cabinet cabi-net censure of MacDonnell has not been withdrawn or explained. The Prime Minister, daily heckled in Parliment as to MacDonnell's present position and powers, continues to shuffle, or refu.s to answer plain questions. The irreconcilable irre-concilable Ulster Orange faction. I headed by Lord Londonderry, still call j for. MacDonnell's dismissal. In their eyes it if intolerable that a Catholic and a man suspected of Nationalist sympathies should hold an important post in the Irish administration. Many members of the official hierarchy would like to see MacDonnell ousted on any grounds. He is a determined, in fact an obstinate man. and one of his duties was to have been co-ordination and reform re-form of the many boards through which England governs Ireland. In In India, MacDonnell is said to have been unpopular with many of his subordinates, sub-ordinates, for the very sufficient reason that he expected them to do the work they were paid for. If he applies such a principle to Irish officials, abolishes sinecures, and can pet competency made a reason for official appointments, instead of having a '-'puir at the Castle, Cas-tle, he will have an army of placeholders place-holders and hunters against him. With the best intentions it would be impossible for any one in MacDonnell's position to introduce efficiency into and effect any real economies in the present pres-ent extravagant system of government in Ireland. There can be no real economy in administration until ' the people of Ireland have the raising and expenditure of taxes under their own control. At present, no one wants economy, because, jf money is saved in one direction, it is misspent in another., The revenue raised in Ireland goes into the English exchequer, and funds expressly- assigned for approved and useful use-ful purposes have been and are continually con-tinually diverted from such purposes to other and objectionable ones in spite of the protests of the Irish members. As the money for Irish purposes, good or bad, useful or useless, is voted in parliament at Westminster. English people generally, and some Irish, think every grant to Ireland is a gift to Ireland, Ire-land, an act of generosity; this, in spite of the report of the Royol commission com-mission on the financial relations of England and Ireland that Ireland was contributing to the English exchequer three millions sterling a year more than her fair and just proportion. Since that report was made in 1894, the excess of ' Ireland's contribution to the Imperial ' exchequer has risen from three to five millions sterling. Every interest and industry in the country Is neglected, education is starved, drainage, piers, harbors, transit facilities) are neglected! Every national want and grievance is fieely admitted by the English statesmen states-men who rule us, but the stereotyped reply is, there Is no monev. In finance, all that Is asked by Irishmen Irish-men is that, subject to a fair contribution contribu-tion to really imperial purposes. Ireland Ire-land shall have the spending of her own revenue, which is now wasted in the most extravagant administration in Europe. Chief secretaries may come or go. but the methods of government remain unchanged. The prime minister has declared that it would be contrary to all principles of unionism that, the Irish people should have the management manage-ment of their own affairs. He echoed the behests of a dozen Orange representatives, repre-sentatives, five of them being placeholders place-holders under the government, and the remainder expectants of place, whose voices prevail over those cX the eightv Nationalist members. Unofficial and unexpectant Unionists openly avow their approval of the Irish amendment to the address moved by John Redmond. Red-mond. This declared "that the present system of government in Ireland is In opposition to the will of the Irish people, peo-ple, gives them no voice In the management manage-ment of their own affairs, is Ineffective and extravagantly costly, does not en joy the confidence of any section of the population, and is productive of uni-I uni-I versal discontent and unrest; an4 that it has proved to be Incapable of satisfactorily satis-factorily promoting the material and intellectual in-tellectual progress of the people. Ireland is not really governed by the j chief secretaries and lord lieutenants, ; J who are mere birds of passage. Before j j they understand their environment, i they return to their own country. Dur- ing their short terms of office they are j in the hands anf under the Influence of i a small and noifv- faction calling them- I selves "loyalists." nn,j of the permanent perman-ent officials mainly recruited from that faction. To these It is intolerable that the post of permanent under secretary should be held by a Catholic a suspected sus-pected Home Ruler, and a man who has the reputation of being an opponent oppon-ent of jobbery. One of the charges made against Sir Antony MacDonnell j is that, in the matter of public appointments, appoint-ments, he is likely to favor the Catholics. Catho-lics. The Republic. |