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Show IS HOME RULE IN SIGHT? j i Seme details are leaking out from the recent i conference between members of the British goserri- j !ne,:t and the Irish "-iiona!iss regarding the oill j .hat is expected to be introduced this session of j the British parliament. Sinn Fein." a Home Rub' j organ, was (lie first to announce the conference niid ; io drop some hints as to its r.-sulls; but since ih n j Mr. John Dillon has spoken frankly as to the conference con-ference though giving no information as to whai i subjects were to be discus-cd. It is understood, however, that the main features of the bill are id- ready settled. Future meetings between the acting ' putties will be devoted to discussion of details and j minor features of administration. It is mr siteh j a b.ll as Mr. Gladstone pas-rd. through the com- j mons. and is not altogether satisfactory to liv X:;- 1 tionalists ac.-.irding to Mr. T. P. O'Connor, still j acting oh the old saw. that a half loaf is better lhau ! no bread tiny will take what i offered, and lede ! their time. I ! 'I he Legislative Fuion is to remain untouched, j j lis might have been expected, since Mr. Redmci.d " j j on record as declaring that "separation is neither j possible nor desirable." j i Ireland is to retain her present representation in j the imperial parliament. The feature of the new j bill will be an Irish council, practicaliv a local leg- j islaturc. which will control all matters that ex- . j clusively affect Irish people. Two-thirds or three- I fourths .f the members of the council are to be elected on the existing parliamentary franchise, j while the remainder shall be either nominated or elected on a restricted franchise. Second in importance im-portance io the bill itself is the provision which I makes clergymen of all denominations eligible for j election or appointment to the council or legislature. legisla-ture. This provision will arouse the strongest op position trom the L ister Orangemen who nave witn implacable bitterness opposed every measure that made for the legislative independence of their country. coun-try. It looks very much as if the government slipped in this highly contentious clause with the hope and expectation that it would be fiercely opposed. op-posed. The government would then abandon it, and thus soften orange hostility to the bill itself, which would likely pass unopposed by the Protestant Protest-ant minority. Such tactics are not unknown in England or the United States. A feature of the bill that should please all parties, par-ties, in its principle, is the simplification that will be effected by the abolition of the forty-odd boards which administer the internal affairs of the Emerald Emer-ald Isle at present, and their substitution by four national committees. The new administrations are to be: The Central or Ca-tle Board. j A Department of Education. I A Department of Agriculture. I A Department of Land Transfer. j The police are to remain under imperial control. J but their numbers are to be reduced. j According to the Dublin Freeman's Journal, the j : ....... r r..: l. f.. 1... lilipUl litlll question OI llisil Cill.U'e ivi mv jn cut, to remain untouched, although a royal commission, commis-sion, appointed by a former Liberal government, reported that Ireland was annually overtaxed at the rate of $lo.(H)(i,t)OI). Mr. Ecdmond and Mr. John Dillon are said to have entered strong' protests against this admitted injustice, but their representations represen-tations could not change the policy of the government govern-ment which is unalterably opposed to dealing with the subject during the present session.' It is not impossible that the bill with its clauses is tentative, and it must be borne in mind that before the measure meas-ure is threshed out many modifications and alterations altera-tions in the bill may ensue. The debate on the subject sub-ject was to have opened on the (ith of May. so that when we again go to press we will likely have some information touching the probable changes in the bill. We are disposed to trust the sincerity of. the Irish chief secretary, Mr. Birrell, the official sponsor for the Irish council bill, when he says that he is prepared to grant to Irishmen a measure of home rule that, whatever its limitations, will concede the right to Ireland to govern itself and the absolute capacity of the Irish people for the task. Editor Intermountain Catholic: A copy oi vour paper containing a letter from Donald llhue on intemperance has been sent me by a friend. I read the article on his experience with the demon of alcoholism. I quite agree with him in his experience, ex-perience, especially the lack of sympathy displayed by world reformers for those who are unfortunate enough to become the victims of that demon. 1 am one, and have fought it with all the will power, artificial and medicinal means at my command. I have pledged myself, and finding all human means insufficient, appealed for spiritual aid, imploring that the craving might be removed. I am still tle unfortunate victim and like "Roger and his dog," finding no human sympathy have recourse to my cat which alone seems to realize my deplorable sad condition. I have been told by one of the "they know all medical fraternity,"' that I inherited it as a disease. Knowing that my grandfather took the pledge from Father Mathew. and that my father never knew (1 taste of liquor, my faith in medical science. liL-Donald liL-Donald Rime's in temperance lectures and mag:, zinc articles, dropped to zero. Voti invite criticism, suggestions and reniedu---. I do'not think the same rule would apply to There are different temperaments, and differon. grades of top. rs. I believe some nui.v have inhcrivd the disease. I kn..w I have not. I never knew t1"-taste t1"-taste of liquor till ' wis He years of age I h-v-worked in mines thirty year-. I took my first drini:. at "the earnest solicitation of my partner one. morn ing after coming off the grave-yard shift. I uo". relish it. To be in the swim and avoid being singular singu-lar I did the same over an.! over again. After six months I was completely broken in. Within a ye;e-the ye;e-the saloon became a favorite place to pass my leisure leis-ure hours. The next four years brought me to th-point th-point where I not only relished but craved for drink. At the end of five years 1 lost a mastery oiv. myself. I tried to conquer, but failed. For tin-past tin-past fifteen years I see nothing but broken pledg. in the road I have traveled over. Today I am like "Roger and his dog." The only suggestion I eoiiM now offer, from my own experience, is, when on-finds on-finds himself in a position that he is scarcely able to resist, let him resist with all his might, if not be will cross the line of responsibility and be unabl-to unabl-to resist, also avoid evil companionship and the nm- j bitiou of being a good whole-souled 'generous felbw. . j I believe in the old adage, which n directly app. 1 cable to my case. "Tell me your company and I will tell you what you are." As to remedies, there are none for those who have lost control of their self will. They are irresponsible and in the hour of temptation, when the craving is strong, will, if death should be the immediate consequence, drink when it is in sight. Those, who are. like Donald Rhue. on the precipice, should take no chance bu be always on their guard, always confide their temptations temp-tations to a common sense friend and avoid especially espe-cially the company of drinkers. For those who have not reached the stage of irresponsibility, "it is never too late to mend."' OLD MINER. Salt Lake City, Utah. May Uu7. |