Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-09-04
A AProposed Plan Of Home Rule.

Some time ago it was announced
that the Home Rule union, through q
subcommittee, had drafted new bill,
embodying, it was supposed, the prin-
ciples with which the liberal party are
prepared, when occasion offers, to off
set the measure in the same direction
introduced in the British commons by
Mr. Balfour. We have waited to see
any express or implied ratification Of
the scheme by the English liberal par
ty or the English liberal leader, says
the StPaul Dispatch, but none has
been forthcoming thus far.
The scheme is however, of enough
interest to Justify an outline of its
provisions. There are, moreover, go
many indications OF a desire in liberal
circles to break down the force and
logic OF Mr.. Panell's present position,
as to render the conjecture safe that
the draft in question is designed as
feeler OF Irish public sentiment. Per-
haps, when Mr.. Parnell is driven from
public. life the English liberals in the
height and granduer of their devotion
to Ireland may avow their readiness
to consider such q scheme.
An outline OF this proposal of the
Home Rule union can be briefly given.
1t provides for an Irish legislature, ex-
pressly called a parliament, which
shall be invested with jurisdiction
over such subjects OF vital national
Importance as land tenure, internal
trade and the control OF the Judiciary
and the police force. The conditions
attending the exercise of such jurisdic-
ton are largely chat the present occu.
pants OF the judicial bench may con-
tlnue to hold their places, except the
resident and stipendiary magistrates,
who can be removed at will; the Dub
lin metropolitan police force may be
taken over at once by the new parlia-
ment, while within four years the
entire black. coated military, mis-
named constabulary, may be dis
banded at will. Meanwhile, on four.
teen days notice corps OF constab-
ulary may be disbanded in any
district in which q sulatble substitute
can be provided; the agrarian ques-
tion can be settled at the will of the
proposed parliament and the internal
trade of the country may be in like
manner controlled. the new parlla-
ment is to consist OF two bodies, one
chosen by UNIVERSAL suffrage, the other
through property franchise. The
imperial authorities are to preserve
power OF vote over the Irish body, as
in the days of Grattan and Flood;
but as an offset to the exercise of coer-
Give influence by the imperial parlia-
ment, 1t is proposed to maintain at
Westminster body of Irish represen-
tatlves of a number to correspond
with that provided by the act OF un.
ion. 1t ought also to be stated that
the new parliament is given power to
endow secular education.
We are not disposed lightly to &C
cept this scheme as involving a reor
ganized plan OF contemplated action
by Mr.. Gladstone or his party; but
we do unhesitatingly claim that the
logic OF events will compel that party
to. give to Ireland q measure OF home
rule embodying substantially it's pro-
visions. Certainly nothing less vii!
be acceptable as final solution OF
the difficulty, and no Irish politician
not even Mr.. Parnell-could stand an
hour in opposing measure framed in
the spirit Of tnat which we have; thus
outlined. It may be that Mr.. CLAD
stone may think proper to CONTINUE
to adhere for some time longer to his
refusal to specify the policy OF his par
ty in this regard on it's return to pow
er; but the measure offered by Mr..
Balfour will very effectually render q
persistence in such an attitude q de-
cidedly hazardous undertaking.