The sun., 1892-03-25
Homo Rule For Scotland.

Tho Gladstonian members Of Parliament
from Scotland have recently framed and
published scheme Of home rule for the
country north OF the Tweed. which is inter-
esting not only in itself. but considered as
Offering suggestions toward an ultimate So
luton for Ireland. We do not regard this
project as wholly acceptable solution OF
the Irish home rule question. but it has the
merit Of facing squarely two Of the Difficult
ties. namely. the relation Of the Irish men,
bers retained at Westminster to the local
business Of the rest Of the kingdom. and
the designation OF an umpire in the case Of
conflict between the imperial Parliament
and the Dublin legislature.
The plan OF the Scottish home rulers is
that the members now sent from Scotland
to the Parliament at Westminster shall.
during the Iecesses OF that body. constitute
Q local legislature at Edinburgh for the
transaction OF all business expressly dele
gated to it by statute. While legislation
upon purely Scottish affairs will be intrust-
cd to this assembly. the corresponding ad-
ministration will be conducted by the Sec
rotary OF State for Scotland. assisted by
such other officers as Scotchmen themselves
shall deem desirable. 1t is taken for grant
cd that the control over their own affairs.
conceded to Scotchmen. will be exercised in
. similar way by Englishmen and Welsh
men as we'll as by Irishmen. That is to
say. all the English members OF the impe-
rial Parliament would. when that body Is
not in session. meet separately as a local
legislature for the transaction OF English
affairs. Like functions would be performed
by tho Welsh members for Wales and by
the Irish members for Ireland. There
would remain for the imperial Parliament,
in which tho four parts OF the United King
dom would continue to be represented as
they arc now. only such powers as were not
explicitly parcelled out among the four
local legislatures.
But suppose. with regard to particular
subject Of legislation. conflicting claims of
jurisdiction were put forth by the Scottish
legislature on the one hand and the i'm
perlal Parliament OH the other Shall the
latter assembly. because 1t was the donor.
be permitted to construe the purport OF its
gift. and perhaps take back piecemeal with
the left hand what 1t gave In block with the
right No. say tho Scottish home rulers:
the Crown shall be the umpire between the
conflicting legislatures by virtue OF its
right OF veto. True, they say. the Crowns
right of veto has not been used since the
reign OF ANNE and We would not revive ii.
II 1t were to be exercised on the advice of
tho Prime Minister representing the ma
jority OF the imperial Parliament. Such an
adviser. being the executive agent OF one of
the parties. Is obviously disqualified for set
tling the supposed controversy The pro-
posal OF the Scottish home rulers Is that
the veto shall be exercised not ON the ad-
vice Of the imperial Prime Minister. but on
that Of u majority Of the Judicial Commit
tee Of the Privy Council. Such tribunal
would certainly be more impartial than q
Minister representing one. OF the con-
testants. and perhaps might be trusted to
decide fairly between tho claims of Scot
tish legislature and those OF the imperial
assembly. But. constituted as the Judicial
Committee is. 1t Is to be feared that Ireland
would have fcw wcll-wlshers ON IL. and.
therefore. this feature OF the Scottish plan
would probably bc at once rejected by the
Irish promoters of home rule.
There Is another way OF exercising the
veto power In the event Of conflict between
the Irish and imperial legislatures. which
has never hitherto been proposed but