Page:Home rule; Fenian home rule; Home rule all round; Devolution; what do they mean?.djvu/40

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taneous, but forced and factitious," is proved by the well-known fact that as soon as ever the peasant tenant becomes the peasant proprietor he ceases to subscribe ro the National League, and is only anxious to have rest from political turmoil and agitation, and to settle down to till his fields and tend his herd. It is the consciousness of this fact that inspires the Dillonite section of the Nationalist members and agitators to do all in their power to slay Land Purchase, and that codified at their dictation their principles in the Birrell Land Bill of 1909—a Bill which has killed voluntary land purchase completely, and stopped the beneficent creation of a great peasant proprietary rapidly achieving full accomplishment under the Wyndham Act of 1903, following on the Ashbourne Acts.

Once the Irish farmer owns his farm in fee he is no longer a fund-feeder for Separation.

"I tell you here—there is no reason why I should not be perfectly frank—the Irish National Party would have been Bankrupt in this election were it not for the success of Mr. O'Connor's mission to America, which yielded over 50,000 dollars."—Mr. J. Redmond, 10th February, 1910.

It is the knowledge and apprehension of this fact that inspired Mr. Redmond's utterance at Tipperary, returning flushed from America on 13th November, 1910.

"What do we care for material reforms in Ireland. They may fill the stomachs of the Irish people. That will not satisfy their spirits. I say we have preferred in the past rags and the spirit of liberty rather than be the sleekest slave that ever was fed at the hand of the conquerer. No; we in Ireland are out for the principle of Nationality. Nothing- will bribe us from that, as nothing has intimidated us from that. We are for "Home Rule,' and nothing but 'Home Rule.'"