Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-04-10
MR.. GLADsT0HE'S PLAN.


The events this week in the Brit.
ish House Of Commons mark an
era of the highest Importance in the
history of that nation, and Of the
world. At last it is proposed by the
imperial government to grant to
Ireland the home rule which its peo-
pie have Tor so many years demand
ed III vain. And the fact is the
more significant in that the Premier
who proposes this radical change in
the relations of the empire towards
this part Of it, is the same man who,
but few short years ago, was the
staunch opponent of the very ideas
to which he has now been converted
by the force of circumstances and
the march Of events. The author of
the coercion act now offers to Ire
land self government. 1t is not alb
solute freedom that is proposed, such
as is enjoyed by the states of our
Union, but it is much nearer to free
dom than would have dreamed of a
dozen years ago. 1t is certain that
the American influence has had
much to do with the formulation of
the scheme, and that our republic
and its forms of government have
been used, in part at least, as an ex-
emplar. The spread of democratic
ideas throughout the world have
gone hand in hand with steadily
growing protest against injustice and
oppression, until even in England it.
self it is declared that the time has
passed when people shall be ground
down by a conquerlng nation, and
simply because it was a conquered
nation. 1t is by no means an as
sured fact that the day of Ireland's
deliverance has come. Mr.. Glad
stones plan may be rejected or
amended, or even in the end prove a
failure. But popular sentiment hav-
ing succeeded in securing this much
recognition of her rights, the steps
that will be taken hereafter are
bound, it would seem, to be forward
and not backward.
The plan, briefly stated, provides
for an Irish parliament, but there
are to be hereafter no Irish peers in
the British House of Lords, and no
Irish representatives in the House
of Commons. The Irish parliament
is to be composed of two houses
the upper consisting OF 103 and the
lower of 206 members, each house
with qualified right to veto. The
twenty eight Irish peers may sit in
the upper house for lite, if they so
desire, while the remaining seventy
FIVE members are to be elected for
ten years, or till the expiration of
the Parliament. They must, to he
eligible, own $1,000 worth of prop
erty. The members of the lower
house are to be elected for five
years. The Imperial Parliament
will retain control Of laying customs
and the exercise dues relating to
customs. The Irish parliament will
have no control of the army or navy,
nor any concern with foreign colon
ial relations, nor authority in regard
to coinage or the currency, or the
creation of the legal tender. 1t is
allowed control of the Postoffice and
the regulation of taxation and ex.
penditures. A sum is to be advan-
ced by the imperial government at
the first, and this is to be gradually
paid back out of the Irish revenues.
But any excess of receipts over ex-
penditures that may accrue is to be
covered each year into the Irish
treasury. The Office of viceroy is to
be retained, but he is to be nom
partisan, and he may be q Roman
Catholic. The judges are hereafter
to be appointed by the Irish govern
ment, and to continue in office I'm.
til retired by pensioning. Ireland
is to be relieved of the constabulary
expenses beyond s1, OOO,O 900, and in
two years the civil service is to be
transferred to the Irish government.
The matter of the appropriation of
the Irish landlords was not, though
reached by Mr.. Gladstone, and as
to this very important part of the
scheme nothing is yet officially
known.
These are large concessions. 1t
remains to be seen whether thew
will be granted, and also whether
the Irish will be content with even
this much, for there are some fea-
lures in the plan which can hardly
be altogether satisfactory to them.
Whatever may be the outcome, how
ever, there can be no doubt, great
day for Ireland and for Mr.. Glad.