The record-union., 1892-12-03
Especial Correspondence Of the REcoRr
ILe-Ine. l-..-..-.I-rllt E4-L
Home Rule.

LOU Gi4A9 L4Slc Oh A1dul, NOV. 10, 1917.
"Dear Little Isle of Man. (Ellan Van
min Veg Veen) is the fond title by its ma
tives Of one of the most diminutive and
interesting island countries to be found
in the civilized world.
1t is a sturdy little bit Of sea-girt land,
set in the turbulent Irish Sea almost equi-
distant from England, Ireland and Scot
land, forever withstanding the fiercest Of
ocean currents and the widest OF ocean
storms. The hardy little nation inhabit-
ing it has as ceaselessly bid defiance to
the maelstroms of conflicting interests of
men and governments seeking its thrall,
and from almost prehistoric time has pre-
served so remarkable a national inde-
pendence. that to this day it comprises
practically the only folk on British soil
who enjoy the full benefits of self-gov-
ernment.
Briefly told the little Maux nation has
had three periods of history Il period Of
Celtic rule, one of Morse supremacy, and
OF British dominion. In the tenth cen-
tury The Vikings came. They had just
overcome Iceland and established their
Morse kingdom there. When they found
the Dear Little Isle of Man." they made
short work of taking complete posses
sion. The women were dark haired,
fair-skinned and blue-eyed. The Vi
kings were freckled and bieached as to
hair and eyes. The Manx nation Of to-
day sprang from the union ofthese hand
some Celtic women and these huge
4reckled men.
The latter were led by one Orry. He
is called King Orry now. Whether he
was a sea-rover or the son Of a Danish or
Norwegian monarch does not matter.
But he became King Of Man and the Isles.
lie was great without the title. He gave
the Manxmen their first Constitution 1t
was quite like that which had just been
given to Iceland. 1t was good one, too,
and the proof of 1t is that with little
change it has existed TO this day.
King Orry divided the island into six
ship-shires They are the Manx ''shedG-
lngs' or representative divisions of the
present time. Each sheading elected
four men by popular vote to a law-mall-
ing house called the House of Keys, prob
ably from the Morse hciSe or chosen men.
They were the peoples delegates, Just as
they are to-day. Then King Orry gave
the church a share in the government,
but prevented its supremacy. He eStab-
HShed a TynWald Court, where Church
and state sat together. Two law-men,
called deemsters, one for the north and
one for the south, were appointed. These
We're equivalent to the lcelanGlc speak
ers of the law" These remain un-
changed. Orry then had built, after the
manner OF the lava law-rock Of Ihingvel-
lir, an artificial Mount of Laws. The
House OF Keys sent up laws to the Tyn-
wald Court, or the latter sent them down.
Assent in Joint session. and the kings
sanction concluded the making of law.
But laws were never operative until the
king, the court and the House Of Keys
had convened on Tynwald Hill and pro-
mulgated them by reading them first i'll
the language in which they were written,
and second in the language Of the people,
Every essential feature Of this patri-
archical and representative government
established early in the tenth century ex-
lists in its original simplicity to-day. The
ManX are the only Morse nation left that
can show so close and strong binding to
The days of the Sagas through an un-
changed governing system. And the folk
OF tins little island are the only people ac-
knowledging complete British dominion
who are in no way interfered with from
Westminster, and who enjoy the actual
practical blessings of home rule.
ireland battling for similar privilege
OF sell-gOvernment Scotland restive un-
der conditions, well enough in their dav
OF making, which now prevent her deal
ing with pressing church and economic
questions, Wales constantly almost in re-
volt over her burden of tithes, and Wes-
leyan Cornwall glowering over her lost
prestige and uncongenial relation to an
order of things out OF all sympathy with
nine-tenths of her people, can almost
from their shores look upon the misty
mountain nights OF this self-governed
Utopia. All are unable to secure what
this handful Of unyieding island folk
have held intact for more thana thousand
years. on this line of consideration
Mainland is unique, and is Well worth
anyone's attention and regard.
brave and hlOOdV history has tbn lit
tie island had from King Orry's time
down to its unreserved cession by its
then reigning duke to the Crown. for a
consideration Of 44l6,000, in lS25 The
system OF government is interesting from
its simplicity. Electors must have a
property qualification in the sheadings Of
$40 occupancy, or IS ownership. In
towns voters must possess "a occupancy
or ownership qualification, and this sum
gives all women unmarried, widows or
spinsters, the same vested right; right
which, although veXiug to women suffra-
glsts, IS rarely exercised.
The island is divided into ten electoral
districts, comprising King Orry's origi-
nal SIX sheadings of CIlanfaba, Middle.
Rusnen, Ayre, CART and Michael, each
OF which returns three representatives,
the city of Douglas with three, and the
towns Of Ramsey, Peel and Castletown,
the ancient capital of Man, with one
each. These twenty-four representatives
constitute the House of Keys, correspond
ing 10 our House of Representatives at
Washington.
There IS an upper House called the
Council, whose powers are similar to
those OF our Senate. IL is coutDosed of
the lord bishop of the diocese F''Sodor and
Man"l who has a seat but 10 vote in the
British House OF Peers, the attornev-gen-
eral, the recelver-ge the two DEEM
sters or judges whose Offices. almost a
relic OF Druldism, are precisely as consti-
tuted by the Morse King Orry, the Clerk
of the Rolls, the water-bail!ff.. the arch
deacon and vicar-general, over which the
ieutenant-governor, Crown appoint
ment, presldes.
The deemsters or judges who have
authority to determine all causes. sub
ject to appeal to the government staff, are
still required to take the same curious
oath as when the ancient Breast Laws y
those not committed TO writing until
14l7 and orally handed down from one
deemSter to his successor, prevailed
They swear "by this Book and the holy
contents thereof, and by the wonderful
works that God hath miraculouslv
wrought in heaven above, and in the
earth beneath in six days and seven
nights without request of favor
or friendship, love or gain, consanguinity
or affinity, envy or malice, to execute the
law of this isle. justly betwixt our soy
erelgn lord (or LADY, the King (or Queen
and his or her subjects within this isle,
and betwixt party and party, as inditler-
emily as the herring's backbone doth lie
III the midst OF the fish"
Members of the House of Keys are
elected Tor seven years. The Governor
may at any time dissolve the House, in
case OF permanent opposition to the
council, when, as in England, IAN ap-
peal to the country is taken. Council
and Keys vote separately. Concurrent
malorItles of each are rennirAd TO mss