They will rather believe that all these material improvements in the condition of Ireland only make the need for Home Rule stronger and more urgent. They will realise that Ireland requires not a material, but a moral cure to give her the full value of the new reforms. Her need is to be removed once and for all from the class of dependent communities. She wants the great tonic cure of self-reliance and self-responsibility. For it is as true to-day as it was when Mr. Gladstone spoke these wise and searching words in April, 1886[36]:-- "The fault of the administration of Ireland is simply this: that its spring and source of action, and what is called its motor muscle, is English and not Irish. Without providing a domestic Legislature for Ireland, without having an Irish Parliament, I want to know how you will bring about this wonderful, superhuman, and, I believe, in this condition, impossible result, that your administrative system shall be Irish and not English?" The greatest need is still this--to make the "motor-muscle" Irish. * * * * * FOOTNOTES: [28] The Report of the Congested Districts Commission was issued in 1908. [29] See 19th Report (1911), Cd. 5712. The Act of 1909 more than doubled the area and population, bringing the area to 4,000,000 acres, and the population to 600,000. The former endowment was L86,000. [30] Comprising the whole of the counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, and parts of the counties of Clare and Cork. [31] The members of this admirable Board are Mr. Birrell, Lord Shaftesbury, Mr. O'Donnell, Dr. Mangan, Sir Horace Plunkett, Sir David Harrel, and six others. [32] For the governing clauses of that Act see Appendix E. [33] May not the Insurance Act do the same? It is very likely. [34] See Appendix J. [35] Private Bill legislation to be settled in Dublin. Irish internal expenditure to be handed to a financial council half elected and half nominated. An Irish Assembly to be created with a small power of initiative. [36] April 8th.--Second Reading Speech on 1886 Home Rule Bill. THE HOME RULE PLAN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY BILLS AND THE BILL OF 1912. "Without union of hearts identification is extinction, is dishonour, is conquest--not identification." GRATTAN.