The Irish standard., 1891-06-20


tim Of the plan Of campaign.
THE COERCION ACT
will continue only in Clare ana parts OF
TipperarY. Cork and Kerry. The un.
expected announcement of this fact by
Mr.. Balfour at a meeting of Torv
women is everywhere considered ano-
Their proof Of the near approach OF the
general election. 1t has been followed
by suspicious activity at the electoral
headquarters of the Tory and Liberal
Unionist parties, and there would be
justification for the confident predic-
ton as to the date of the appeal to the
country but for the sound drummlnRs
administered to the government at the
recent contested elections. TO the out
side observer such convincing proof has
of late been given of the Liberal rally
that 1t would be folly allied to madness
for che government to dissolve Parlia-
ment one moment before the dav upon
which it nust legally die. But the in
duential friends Of The present admin
istration constantly urge immediate
action on the ground that the party will
fare worse the longer the struggle is
delayed. Balfour has also given evil
dence Of his desire to allay feeling by
accepting the clause in the land pur-
chase bill, which will probably lead to
settlement between landlord and
tenant on all campaign estates, and
restore most of the tenants who have
been evicted from holdings during the
agrarian war. Lord Clanricarde is
probably the only landlord who will
not avail himself of the clause, but the
government cannot support him IN re-
naming the centre of disturbance and
disaHection.
THAT EDUCATION BILL.
Sir William Hart Dyke, vice presi-
dent Of the committee of council on
education. in the House Of Commons
Monday introduced the governments
long talked of education bill. In SO
doing, he said the government desired
as little as possible to disturb the exist
ing educational system, and added that
it aimed to distribute the grant so as to
give it equally between the voluntary
and the board schools. The bill, said
the speaker, also proposed to relieve the
parent Of the payment of fees to ele~
mentarv schools. 1t had been suggested
that they should diffarentiate payments
and also that all fees for schools, high
or low, ought TO be RENTED.
There were manifest difficulties in
the way of such a course, but after the
fullest consideration the government
had come to the conclusion that the
best possible scheme was the payment
to school authorities Of 10 shlllings per
head for each scholar in average atten-
dance at the elementary schools. There
would be no standard Of Limitation
whatever. The grant would be made
payable only on behalf OF children be"
tween 5 and "A years of age, and at.
tending cuxapulsory schools. Parents
sending to school a Child under S years
OF age will be required to pay fee OF 2
pence weekly, a grant OF 10 shillipgs
per head for each scholar, continued
Sir William, was equivalent to g.
pence fee. He estimated that two
thirds Of the elementary school system
would become free under the govern
ment proposals, and that vast NUM-
Der Of parents would be relieved OF tn e
payment Of fees.
It was of great Importance to secure
above that element an elastic system.
rising by degrees to the highest grade
of schools. If the whole elementary
system were reduced to one dead level,
its decadence was certain. The success
Of the voluntary schools was undeniable,
and the government. wishing TO main.
tain them in the position in which they
now stood, had come to the conclusion
that the only measure Of security Tor
the educational system generally was to
allow any school to receive che grant of
10 shlllings per head, and permitting
schools where fees were charged above
the fee grant still to receive the grant,
and also TO receive a balance OF the
fees, Thus a 5-penny school would be-
come 2 penny fee school. The grant
would be paid quarterly, wherever
necessary. The government proposed
to require that public schools be pro-
vided without the payment of any fee.
The scheme would prove to be a great
boon to the working people,
THE GREEN ISLE.