St. Paul daily globe., 1885-12-21
THE DIFFICULTY FINANCIAL.
A Noted Irishman Says Fiscal Mats
ters Must be Settled First.

A Noted Irishman Says Fiscal Mat.
tiers Must be Settled First.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-Thomas Burke
Grant, editor Of the Irish Farmer of Dub
lin, has been in Washington for several
days past. Mr.. Grant has been travelling
in this country since last August, collecting
information about the resources of the
United States, which he had published in
series of letters in his paper in Dublin.
Mr.. Grants journal is non-political pub
lication, and, although the gentleman has
taken no part in politics in Ireland, he is
well known there as public valuer OF
rents, under the Irish land commission
courts. When asked by a representa-
tive of the GLOBE for his views
representing the proposed establish-
ment of an Irish parliament. Mr.. GRANT
said that no parliament would satisfy. the
Irish people that did not readjust the fiscal
burdens which the measure of union had
imposed on Ireland. England for more
than eighty years has abstracted from Iref
land more than fair proportion of revenue,
which, from the limited resources of Ire7
land, she was able to contribute to the ma
tional excheauer. Ireland has all along, he
says, been evertaxed in the interest of .
British connection, which, like an unfair
partnership, was
PRoFIFABE ONLY TO oNE PARTNER
in the imperial concern. Land in Ireland
has also been notoriously over-Fented in the
interest Of small body Of proprietors, who
were loyal to England because the
great power of the latter was
always freely given to sustain
large incomes by means of rack
renting. English parties in Ireland he said
have been watered like forced plants by the
legislation of 800 years. and notwithstand-
ing this, they have never prospered and are
to day as insensible to the social wants Of
Ireland las the mummies of Egypt are to
the periodic swellngs of the Nile" They
have lived in Ireland, but never felt that
they were lrishmen, always looking to En-
glish parties and clamoring for protection
of some kind. Their complaints have at
last became burdensome and intolerable to
their friends. Even now the prin-
cipal impediment to home rule
will be furnishing what is termed
the rights of the minority" but Mr. Par
nell will have no difficulty, Mr.. Grant
thinks, in furnishing the required guaran-
tees, particularly as to the rights OF the
minority, which are like the unknown
quantity in mathematics, which has never
yet been defined and never cam"
A MINORITY
like that existing in Ireland 'shas no Orights''
apart from those of the general masses Of
the majority of the people. In taking this
Irish question in hand England must cease
to regard the rights and privileges
hitherto possessed by Irish minori-
ties, and which ought to have
no existence in a healthy and
well governed community of people. An
Irish parliament, Mr.. Grant thinks, should
have powers to deal with all Irish legisla-
ton. It should regulate the internal affairs
of Ireland, foster industries and manu-
factures, control Irish rents, which annu-
ally impoverish Ireland, and in word, adj
just the entire relations Of owners and oc-
cupiers of land. These should be some Of
the functions of the new parliament, which
also duly acknowledges its rela-
tions to the crown to the same
extent as the English people
now permit interferences with the DEGREES
of the house of commons. Practically the
power exercised by the crown has since tho
days of George II. dwindled to nothing.
The present queen is the most beloved and
amiable member of the house of Guelph
that has ever sat on the throne Yet she
never interferes with the decisions of her
ministers, as does the houseof lords. The
queen, he concluded, will doubtless extend
the same liberation to Ireland, so no diff
Guilty need be anticipated on this head.