HOMER. 169 HOME RULE. and 1884 he produeod a number of genre sub- jects, usually taken from American life, such as "Home, Sweet Home," "Cotton Pickers," "In the Field," and "A Visit from the Old Mistress." All these show his independent realism and vig- orous individuality. He began his sea pictures with the "Life Line" (1884). The series in- cludes: "Eight Bells," "Danger," "Launching the Boat," "The Tempest," "The Peril of the Sea," and "The Lookout" (18!)7). They are all essen- tially dramatic studies of sturdy fisher-folk and 'longshoremen, and jirepared the way for the pure- ly' marine pictures which he did later. Among these are: "A North Easter," "The Gulf Stream," and, particularly, "The Maine Coast," a magnifi- cent marine of stormy skies, black rocks, and driving sjjray, which is his masterpiece. The strong color and broad, virile workmanship in Homer's pictures attracted much attention at the Paris E.xposition of 1000. He is also an admi- rable painter in water-color. HOMEKIDES, hA nier'idez, or HOMEBI- DiE (Lat., from Gk. 'OiJ.TjplSris, Bomiridvs, de- scendant of Homer, from "Oii-qoos, BomCros, Ho- mer) . The name of a family or clan in the island of Chios, often mentioned; Strabo says that they claimed descent from Homer, and were adduced by the Chians to prove that Homer himself was a Chian. The name Homerida-, however, is used by Pindar and by others frequently to mean per- sons who recite the Homeric poems, i.e. rhapso- dists; and it is in this sense that the name is commonly used. The Homerid* of Chios have jjlayed a large part in the theories of some schol- ars as to the transmission of the Homeric poems; but there is no evidence that they were a guild of poets or even of rhapsodists. HOMER PIGEON. A pigeon trained to long-distance Hying and used to carry messages. HOME RULE. A term in British politics, designating the particular movement, begun in 1870, to secure for Ireland a local legislature, and tlius recognize and satisfy the persistent sentiment of Irish nationality. The question of Home Rule, ignored by Pitt in the Act of Union* of 1800, was revived by O'Connell's agitation for repeal. With the failure in 1848 of that move- ment, hostility to British rule passed from the field of constitutional exertion to that of violence and revolution. But neither the doctrinaire fias- co of 1848 nur the plots of the Fenians brought any realization of the national aspirations. After twenty troubled years of conspiracy and secret crime, the concession by Gladstone of Church disestablishment and land reform called the thoughts and hopes of the Irish people once more to constitutional activity. In 1870, a year after the Act of Disestablishment was passed, and while (Jladstone's first Land Hill was still under discus- sicm in Parliament, the first step was taken in the movement for Hnnie Rule. On May 10th in that year, there assem- bled at the Billon Hotel. Dublin, a numl>er of Irishmen of the better class, representing all shades of political and religious belief. The dominant element was Protestant and Conserva- tive. Discontented with the concessions made by Gladstone's Government, they were ready to con- sider some plan for taking out of British hands flip control of Irish affairs. .After free discus- sion, it was resolved "that the true remedy for the evils of Ireland is the establishment of an Irish Parliament, with full control over our do- mestic adairs," In accordance with this opinion, a permanent organization was soon afterwards ellected, under the name of 'The Home Govern- ment Association of Ireland.' Its declaration of principles announced as its only object the ob- taining of a distinct Parliament for Ireland, to regulate her internal alfairs, while leaving to the Imperial Parliament all questions all'ecting the colonics, foreign relations, and the stability and defense of the Empire. With this declaration the moement for Home Rule was formally inaugu- rated. The history of the Home Rule movement from 1870 to the present time may be divided into four ])eriods: First, the leadership of Isaac Butt (1870-79); second, the merging of Home Rule into (he land agitation (1879-86); third, the adoption of the principles by the Gladstonian Liberals (1886-93) ; and fourth, the Conservative policy of 'killing Home Rule by kindness.' First Period. This was the time of develop- ment and definition. From the outset the Home Rule idea was favorably received among the better classes of the Irish people, though ancient reli- gious antipathies often blocked the way. Among the lower classes — those particularly in which Fenianism had found its chief support — the new form of constitutional agitation was slow to in- spire confidence. Under the direction of Isaac Butt, however, who had made himself popular by his legal services in behalf of arrested Fenians, considerable progress was made, and at bye- elections several Home Rulers, including Butt himself, were elected to Parliament. In the fall of 187.3 the Home Government Association was re- placed by the Irish Home Rule League, a new and more comprehensive organization, whose skillful management secured the return of si.xty Home Rulers in the general election of 1874. For the next five years, under the leadership of Isaac Butt, they acted as a distinct party when Home Rule or Irish interests were at stake, but on other questions followed their individual preferences. In fact, during this period, outside of Ireland, there was very little interest in the subject, and F.ng- lish Liberal and English Conservative alike had voted against Butt's annual motiim for an Irish Parliament. But an awakening was to come, when Parncll. who entered the Commons in 1875, began to advocate his policy of 'obstruction,' applying it — aided by a little group of followers — to all questions alike, whether Irish, English. or Imperial. In this course he was opposed by Butt and the majority of the party at that time; l)it through this policy Parnell succeeded in arousing the English people to a discussion of the subject, and in winning, partly perhaps by means of the hatred he excited toward himself on the part of the old British parties, the en- thusiastic support of Irishmen to a degree which Butt's milder course had never done. Second Period. Butt died in the spring of 1870. The Home Rule Party chose as his succes- sor William Shaw, whose methods it was known would be those of Butt. But Parnell was the rising man in Irish circles. In this same year, by throwing himself heart and soul into the land agitation, and assuming the presidency of the Land I.e:igue. he became the idol of the Irish masses. During the four succeeding years Home Rule was entirelv overshadowed by the great agrarian issue. The general elections of 1880
