in Sir Horace's letter
"the expression of a belief that if your policy could be successfully
carried out, the Irish people would cease to desire Home Rule." "I do
not feel," he added, "that I could possibly take part in any
organisation which had for its object the seeking of a substitute for
that which I believe to be Ireland's greatest need--Home Rule."
Fortunately, then as now, the Irish party was divided into two camps,
and Mr. Redmond, at the head of a small minority of "Independents," was
at liberty to take a different line. "I am unwilling," he wrote, "to
take the responsibility of declining to aid in any effort to promote
useful legislation in Ireland."

Ultimately, Sir Horace Plunkett's strong personality, his manifest
singleness of purpose, and the intrinsic merits of his proposal carried
the day. A committee, truly representative of all that was best in Irish
life, was brought together, and commissioners were despatched to the
Continent to report upon those systems of State aid linked with
voluntary organisation which appeared to have revolutionised agriculture
in countries not otherwise more favoured than Ireland itself. A large
mass of most valuable information was collected. In less than a year the
committee reported. The substance of the recommendation was

"That a Department of Government should be specially created, with
a minister directly responsible to Parliament at its head. The
Central Body was to be assisted by a Consultative Council
representative of the interests concerned. The Department was to be
adequately endowed from the Imperial Treasury, and was to
administer State aid to agriculture and industries in Ireland upon
principles which were fully described."[71]

With the general policy of these recommendations the Irish Government
were in hearty sympathy, and the Bill of 1897, already referred to, was
a first attempt to give effect to it. But in the absence of popularly
elected local authorities an important part of the machinery for
carrying out the proposals was wanting.

IRISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT.

A reform of local government in Ireland had long been given a place in
the Unionist programme, but the magnitude of the undertaking and the
pressure of other business had hitherto stood in its way. It was now
decided to take up this task in earnest, on the understanding that other
measures relating to Ireland should be postponed in the meantime. The
I