The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-19

district and counties bill. BY its provision
adm nistrative duties will be given to
baronial councils, leaving wholly untouched
the judicial duties now entrusted to the
grand jury. Members of county and
baronial councils will be elected every
three years. The government proposed
following the Scotch rather than
the English measure in the matter of al
dermen. Many people in Ireland. said
Balfour, feared the measure would result
In extravaganza, possibly corruption. He
denied this. In the first county councils
there would be four ex-officio mem bers-
the lord lieutenant of the county: sheriff.
nominee of the grand jury, and nominee of
the presen tment sessions. The qualiica-
lions of voters for county councilmen and
baronial councilmen would be identical as
to llilterate persons and those who did not
pay county taxes would have no vote.
Balfour explained the workings of the
bill as proposed, and said the system of
franchise suggested would give a
minority vote in county councils.
The councils might use their power to
Cypress a small minority and might be
guilty of wilfull and persistent corruption.
Irish ieers. The history of Ireland
proved these remote dangers had q reality.
Such dangers did not exist in Englan
Provision was made to allow twenty less
payers to apply to the judge or assizes by
leave, to petition for the removal of coun-
clllors OF the barony or county on the
ground of persistent disobedlence of law,
corruption or oppression, and if the
charges Were established, guilty
councillors would be replaced by
the nominees of the lord Lieutenant.
Ironical cheers. If malversation
and opposition were possible, It was the
duty of the house to provide an adequate
remedy. Such dangers existed in Ireland
to an extent unknown in England or Scot
lano. To prevent extravaganza the bill
would provide landowners should have a
deciding voice in permitting capital ex-
penditures as distinct from current ex-
penditures. He could not conceive any
danger of the councils becoming the centres
of political agitation to further the views
of any particular party. Replying to
Healy, Balfour said the bill would not
! affect the police system of Ireland and the
incidence of taxation would remain as at
present. In conclusion, Balfour said he
did not pretend the bill would regenerate
ireland, but sincerely thought the Irish
rate payer had right to claim the same
measure granted in England and Scotland.
He therefore recommended the bill to the
favorable attention of the house.
John Morley characterized the bill as the
"rottenest reed the Irish minority ever
leaned on for retention of privileges" He
declared the measure was a fraud, in the
absolute distrust of the Irish people, in
fact an assumption THAT they were de-
based helots." The whole opposition
broke forth into cheers when Morley called
or the government to go before the people
on the measure. In concluding be affirmed
the bill was a mockery, was Justification
of the pledges OF the government and fur
nished grounds for the manifestation of
further irritation in Ireland
oh pnlr
measure as sham bill. He could not con-
eeive how the ti-goverument party could
be so full Of imbecility as to 60 before the
country on such a bill.
Justin Mccarthy advised the govern
| ment to burn the bill.
Healy said he never knew OF a more con.
| temptible bill.
Harcourt said bill more insulting to
the Irish be could not conceive Of; it bore
the stamp of Chamberlain, who was the
mother OF the bill.
Balfour denied the bill was insulting To
Ireland. If, owing TO construction, the
present bill should not be passed, local
government for Ireland would be indefi-
nitely postponed. The only reason
why the Irish parties should OBJ,
struct the bill was it contained
machinery to stop corruption and
oppression. The only inference was that
they desired to make something out of the
councils. At this the whole opposition
Joined in crying SHAME" while the Con.
servatlves cheered.
Laboucnere said Balfour was Between
the devil and the deep sea-" He had to in
troduce bill to satisfy his master, Cham
berlain, and had to persuade the Conserva-
tlves the bill was sham
Chamberlain denied that he assisted in
the work of framing the bill. He said he
approved of the manner in which the gov
eminent redeemed its pledges. The safe
guards introduced in the bill in regard tc
corruption were those that Americans, the
most democratic people in ths world, intro
duced into their constitution. The Ameri
can legislature could be bought before the
supreme court.
John Brice, of the south division o.
Aberdeen, Liberal, In favor of home rule
for Ireland, denied there was any compari
son between the proposed councils in Ire
land and the relations in which the Ameri
can state legislatures were to the supreme
court, which had only power to nullify az
act passed by the legislature in excess O,
its powers.
T. D. Sullivan said he recognized in tht
insulting safeguards in the bill the hand o.
LORD Salisbury, who dubbed Irishmer
"Hottentots" and 'lepers."
Sexton said that never in his parliamen.
tary experience had he seen so incompeten
a bill.
William Redmond regarded the bill as .
deathbed repentance, because the govern
ment did not dare 10 appeal to the country
on its coercive policy alone. 1t was thu
most studied insult that Balfour ever lev
eled at the Irish people.
The bill passed the first reading and Bal
four fixed the second reading for March 3
The Liberals are exultant regarding tn,
bull as a final blow to the governments
inhd ,lTCT fNf fNA,