1-151-024 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'Balfour's Irrepressible Donkey', 1888. Arthur James Balfour was the Chief Secretary for Ireland at the beginning of 1888 in Lord Salisbury's Conservative administration.The cartoon is accompanied by a poem of the same name in which Punch makes the point that the Irrepressible Donkey, Ireland, has foiled many an able politician from all parties over the years. Balfour is trying to bribe the Donkey with the carrots labelled Reduced Rents. In fact Balfour, having rejected the chance to use the Coercion Acts to control crime in Ireland, put his faith in continuing the expansion of land purchase schemes and other aspects of agrarian reform. From Punch, or the London Charivari, January 14, 1888.