Saturday, January 16th, 191G, 2 THE IRISH VOLUNTEER.

sterling per annum for every man, womau The British Premier, nearly two yem and child in Ireland, including Lord ago, broke his treaty with Mr. Red­ NOTES lveagh and the most destitute aud dere­ mond and went back on his pledge of lict orphan in the streets. Home Rule, embodied in his Home Rule Bill. Of course he did so with Irish Unionists, no less than Irish * ■ * Will our Members of Parliament face pain and sorrow and so on. With Home Rulers, claim that the realisation these figures, or have they all censed to equal searching of his soul, ho has of their political views Is for the good be representatives of Ireland aud become obeyed the demands of the whole re­ of Ireland, The ordinary Unionist, if representatives of the British Govern­ actionary party in England and has be­ yon suggested to him that he took no ment in Ireland at £400 a year each? come a Conscriptionist. Mr. Balfour, his responsibility for the welfare of the Will Sir Edward Carson face them, will intimate friend, has done likewise, and country but was content to be the blind the Belfast “ Newsletter ” face them, has given the reason with characteristic follower of a faction, would deny the will the “ Northern W hig” face them, cynicism. The Government’s Conscrip­ charge angrily. The ordinary Home tion proposals, we are told, will realty Ruler of Mr. Redmond’s following or of will the “ Irish Times” face them, and discuss them honestly in the interests only affect a very small number of men. Mr. O’Brien's, if you asked him was he of their Irish readers? Mr. Arthur It is a fleabite, not worth considering on content to be a faetionist saying Amen grounds of principle or making a big to everything his leader said, right or Samuels, K.C., is distressed because Ire­ stand over it. So Mr. Asquith and all wrong, would tell you warmly that he land has been dishonoured, because we the Whigs have swallowed militarism, was nothing of the kind. Now a test has have not received the honour of being introduced a revolutionary principle, and come that will prove whether these men compelled into military service by the are going to force it through, just for the and their leaders and their organs in the Imperial Parliament. Mr. Samuels used to be greatly distressed about Irish sake of this fleabite, and not at all be­ Press are for Ireland or for a faction. cause they belong to the privileged • • • finance. Are we to suppose that, now Oligarchy and ore glad of the opportunity Some months ago in this paper I that the Empires have turned the world to get the democracy under military law. warned my readers that Ireland was topsy-turvy, Mr. Samuels finds his prin­ being drawn into a most disastrous finan­ ciples also turned upside down and finds » • I cial plight. I argued from the Imperial it an honour to be compelled to pay Nine Last summer I told you how I went to taxation figures and forecasts published Millions of increased taxation ? Mr. John a Volunteer meeting near Pomeroy, Co. under the heading “ A Grave Warning,” J . Horgan, of Cork, was a champion of Tyrone, how somebody got up a report by the London “ Times.” I calculated Ireland’s financial interests in the days that the local Hibernians were going to from the forecast by a specialist in the before the Sharp Curve; so was Mr. E. A. create trouble, bow Dis trie t-Inspec tor “ Times” that the Imperial scheme of Aston, of Dublin; so was Mr, M. A, Ennis, Barrington collected ti large force of war finance meant the imposition of at of Wexford, The Irish “ Daily Indepen­ armed police and came to see the fun, least four millions sterling of increased dent” prided itself till recently on its how the meeting was successful, orderly mutual taxation on Ireland for a long vigilant care for Ireland's financial welfare and unanimous, how Hibernians took a period, and I asked people to realise that under the Home Rule proposals, and never prominent part in it, and how it was fol­ any such permanent increase must he missed a chance to score off Mr. Red­ lowed by a conference, which I attended, disastrous to Ireland, involving the ruin mond and Mr. Dillon. Messrs. Redmond in the local Hibernian ball (B. 0. E.). of her industrial development, the cessa­ and Dillon, for their part, told us that Whoever it was that wanted and plotted tion of the remedial measures won by the all would be' well if we only held our mischief and failed to bring it off lias sacrifices of her people in the past, and tongues, voted confidence, trusted them succeeded in another attempt in the same the continued depopulation and im­ and Mr. Asquith and the British Demo­ neighbourhood. A concert was held in a poverishment of the country. I asked cracy. Nine Millions additional taxation, schoolhouse near Carrickmore, in aid of the reader to believe that I was writing and all the sitokesmen of our financial a local Catholic charity. Some Irish pointedly and moderately and in no interests are fallen silent! What price Volunteers took part in the concert alarmist spirit, though the political Silence ? arrangements. I should say that, since • • • heads and organs of parties were playing 'the Pomeroy meeting, I attended a meet­ Mumm. The Income Tax was imposed on Ire­ ing at Carrickmore, where again Inspec­ ... land hy Gladstone. Two years ago it came tor Barrington and his forces were No one can deny, no one would have to nearly a million and a half. Now the gathered, at the public expense, to wit­ ventured to deny two years ago, that an Treasury experts nearly Five Millions of ness an orderly, peaceful, enthusiastic addition of four milions to the taxation Income Tax from Ireland. Two years and unanimous assembly in the public of Ireland would be ruinous to Ireland. ago the total Inland Revenue from Ire­ street. Tins was a second disappoint­ The most bigotted Unionist would not land was under Three Millions (Treasury ment for Law and Order. Better lack have denied it. Unionist or Home Ruler, estimate); now the Treasury expects next time. Before the Mullaghslin con­ if you bad foretold to them that British nearly Seven Millions. In Customs and cert, the report of intended trouble was state man ship would succeed in manoeuvr­ Excise the Treasury expects to get about again circulated, and again General Bar­ ing or manipulating them into acquies­ Four Millions extra from us. These are rington and bis forces were on the spot, cence in such a prospect of oppressive and “ the Free Gifts of a Free People.” and these guardians of Law and Order calamitous taxation, they would have • * * had the satisfaction of witnessing the laughed in your face. This week I pre­ As if this was not enough, Mr. T. W. actual performance about which the re­ sent them with a carefully prepared ac­ Russell announces, again in reply to Mr. port was circulated. An organised attack count, not my own alarmist forebodings, Ginned, that his Department proposes to was made, and the schoolhouse was not the “grave warning” of the “Times” save £6,000> which will run the war for wrecked. The attacking party, having specialist, hut an account drawn up by about two minutes, hy starving for a year so far completed the programme drawn the Imperial Treasury and published by if not permanently the most necessary up for them, did not disperse until tbey the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The work of public expenditure—the training bad very fittingly given three cheers for account is based on Treasury calculations of teachers. He “ could not state the police, and estimates, and may be considered ns whether there was any British precedent • • * favourable to Ireland, as Treasury calcu­ for the suspension of these grants.” In Tyrone, Nationalists and Unionists lations aid estimates have always been. There is. Ireland is included in the are almost equal in numbers, but this at­ It shows that the expected permanent in­ foreign policy of the British Govern­ tack on Nationalists was not made by crease of Irish taxation is not Four ment, and in time of war many financial Unionists. According to the Press re­ Millions but nearly Nine Millions. It is obligations to foreigners have to he sus­ ports it was made by Hibernians. The an increase of more than Two Pounds pended. Press reports, however, have been care-