19 H^ Freedom versus Conservatism 



^rone 



Directly south of Derry lies Tyrone, one of the Tyr 

 largest counties of Ireland, geographically the heart *" ^^^^^^ 

 of old Ulster but mainly Catholic like the rest of the 

 country. In the recent splitting, Tyrone and Fer- 

 managh were left with the Belfast schism — not- 

 withstanding the obvious will of the people — in order 

 to give an appearance of substance to "New Ulster," 

 which otherwise would have been only a narrow rim 

 of the northern seaboard. 



From Omagh, the capital of Tyrone, we drove in a 

 jaunting car, least comfortable of vehicles, to see one 

 of the many peat bogs of the region. These are 

 glacial ponds filled with the debris of centuries of 

 decaying moss — Sphagnum — and other vegetation. 



The political freedom (not necessarily independ- ''Best 

 ence) of Ireland is long overdue, and the right policy f^^^w ;„ 

 has been evident since the days of Gladstone. But home rule 

 no British statesman has ever had a chance to carry 

 it out, each attempt having been thwarted by the 

 ultraconservative element; that is, British Tories 

 have systematically played on the prejudices of 

 Ulster to further their own interests in England, the 

 maintenance of privilege being their real purpose.^ 

 This was, however, masked by the assertion that in 

 Ireland the "best elements" should govern, the 

 people as a whole being manifestly unfit. The ideals 

 of British conservatism have always involved some 

 form of aristocracy. The social function of the 

 "upper classes" is not creation but domination; in 

 themselves they see the natural rulers of the masses. 

 The " better elements " of England — as self-defined — 

 have little care for Irish necessities. They are bent 



1 See Chapter xlii, page 483. 



1:627 n 



