o vote for Home Rule.
Throw out this bill, let Mr. Balfour settle the land question, and the
agitators will not have a leg left to stand on."

All this I steadfastly believe. No farmer wants Home Rule for anything
beyond his personal interests. Mr. Patrick Gibbons, of Carnalurgan, is
one of the smartest small farmers I have met, and he confirms the
statements of his fellows. "Give the farmers the land for a reasonable
rent," said he, "and they would not care two straws for Home Rule."
The small traders admit that they would like it, as a mere matter of
fancy, and because they have been from time to time assured that the
English Parliament is the sole cause of Ireland's decadence. They are
assured that an Irish Parliament by instituting immense public works
would prevent emigration, and that the people staying at home and
earning money would bring custom to their shops. Nearly everybody
insists on an exclusive system of protective tariffs. England, they
say, competes too strongly. Ireland cannot stand up to her. She must
be kept out at any cost.

According to a Ballina Nationalist this is where the "shock" will come
in. He said:--

"The bill is being whittled down to nothing. Gladstone is betraying
us. It is doubtful if he ever was in earnest. 'Twould be no Home Rule
Bill at all, if even it was passed. An' what d'ye mane by refusing us
the right to put on whatever harbour dues we choose? An' what d'ye
mane by sayin' we're not to impose protective tariffs to help Irish
industries? Ye wish to say, 'Here's yer Parlimint. Ye're responsible
for the government of the counthry, for the advancement of the
counthry, for the prosperity of the counthry; but ye mustn't do what
ye think best to bring about all this. When we have a Parlimint we'll
do as _we_ choose, an' not as _you_ choose, Ye have no right to
dictate what we shall do, nor what we shan't do. We'll do what we
think proper, an' England must make the best of it. England has always
considered herself: now we'll consider ourselves. If we're not to
govern the counthry in every way that _we_ think best, why on earth
would we want a Parlimint at all? Tell me that, now. If Ireland is to
be governed from England, if we are to have any interference, what
betther off will we be? An' Protection is the very first cry we shall
raise."

The good folks at Tuam have held an indignation meeting to protest
against the statements contained in my Tuam letter, which they
characterise