New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-25
corpcIoN AND OBSTRUCTION

Tho coercion scheme outlined in the London
dspatches is rigid enough TO satisfy Lord Bea-
consfeld himself The Irish Executive will be
empowered to name the district wherein 1t Is TO
he enforced and then to arrest any person who
NAV excite suspicion by word OF act. The sus-
nension of habeas corpus gives the Government
absolute control over every member of the Land
League. Arbitrary arrest, detention for an In
definite period, and trial before two Judges
instead of twelve sympathetic tenant farmers,
will be formidable menaces and with an army
of 10000 men dong garrison duty In all the
centres of population, organized resistance
seems to be out of the question. whoever
defies the Government must suller the penalty,
end when once deprived of his liberty he cannot
count upon an uprising of the exasperatcd ten
ants. A Ministry may well hesitate before pro-
nosinp n force bill of this kind, but when 1t has
been enacted it will be applied with IN iron
hand. The Irish leaders will he temporarily
silenced. Repressive measures when nave
proved effective in the past will serve the pnr-
pose again. The confession will be made for
the eighth time since JS4S thar Ireland cannot
be governed constitutiOnally, 5ut only Ivy lorce
legislation ard troops II Is a Illuminating con
fession, ard the fact that progressive states
man like Mr.. Gladstone makes II Is very dis
heartening; for if he cannot reconcile lriShmcn
to British rule, what Englishman can do it'll
The revolt of the llish members Of the Com
mons must be suppressed before The Cocl cion
act can be passed. Obstruction is revolt
against legislative presidents rather than open
defiance OF the standing rules OF the House. 1t
has always beer the boast of English Legislators
that the rights Of minority ana the pFlvllcgcs
of debate were EulIGed more jcaouSly IN the
Commons than in any other dcli3oiailve assem-
bly,. 1t was taken Tor granted that member
of Parliament would never abuse his privileges,
and, consequently, the Commons had never
taken the precautiOn to protect IlSrlt against
the wanton cal rces Of any group OF legislators.
Wber Mr. Parnel resnrted to the policy OF OBJ
structiOn during the session ct lS17, he took
advantage of the standing orders and recnla-
tons of the House, but violated traditions and
unwritten laws which Lad been recognized by
British legislators for century or more. by
lntrTnIinahle debates on points OF cT'ier and
triVialities, by repeated calls for division on
The question of adjournment, AM ny similar
devices, this body of mllCoutcnts brought Tie
work of the session to an end, The adoption OF
new standing orders only enabled the Home
Rulers 10 shift their ground and pIOlong the
struggle until the patience OF the Opposition
Az we'll as the Government WAS exhausted. The
exDcdient Of naming . member who persisted IN
interrupting the House ard rctaidinG The pro-
plcss OF busiI!css was tTicd durlnS tho following
wear. bui the Commons have never provided any
adcauat means of dealing with obstruction. A
faction which made so determined fight on a
.d, issu. like South African Confederation Will
not abandon its ground on the Coercion bill
without prolonged struggle. l. J. uc last
ditch OF tic Land AGiatOTs.