New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-25
4 CRISIS FOR HOME RULE.

Mr.. GadStOne'S Homo Rule schcme mas
passed into It's most critical stage with the in
PRODUCTION of the amended financial proposals.
An illustrative treasury statement based upon
the receipts and expenditures Of the current
wear. forecasts surplus OF 1850, 900; but
the Unionists discrcdt the estimate as an
Elusive trick of a cOnjurer with figures. They
assert that the Prime Minister has virtually adj
mittod that the Dublin Parliament will have
a bankrupt treasury before it unless it be will
inc e impose new taxes upon the island. Mr..
Gladstone will have his own explanations OF
his financial proposals, and he is always at his
best in discussing questions of this kind. But
it is unfortunate at least for his argument that
in introducing the liome Rule bill he dealt
deliberately with this branch of the case and
demonstrated that Ireland would start under
Home Rule with handsome balance on the
right side. lie has now entirely recast the
financial scheme, rcarranged the general and
special revenues and reapportioned the con-
tribution to be made to the Imperial treasury.
If he undertakes once more TO prove that a
handsome surplus will be available, he will be
met with shrugs and sneers. The pitcher that
goes too often TO the we'll runs great risk of
being broken.
This financial rcadjustmcnt was doubtless
devised in order to meet Mr.. Chamberlain's de-
structive criticism of the original proposals.
1t is a concession to Ulster and the UnioniSts
since it reserves for Imperial purposes one-third
Of the ascertaincd value Of the revenues OF
the island and naturally involves the reten-
ton of the full Irish delegation at Westminster
We suspect that it is compromise TO which
~. LII. l,r npt1x. bad, 1nr
pressure from his Cabinet. As compromise
it will ALLEVIATE the votes of friends of the Home
Rule scheme without winning the support Of
its enemies. Tho UniOniSts while nominally
bent upon improving and amending the bill
through legitimate exercise Of minority func
tons are Enthusiastically striving to wreck it.
The new financial proposals will not reconcile
them to a measure which they abhor. They
will persevere under Mr.. Chamberlain's leader
ship in their obstructive tactics, and will be
embOldened by the prospect of a speedy break
in the lines of the Home Rule party. The Irish
members have received the amendments with
mingled feelings of dismay and irritation. The
Radicals are momentarily dazed, bewilderod
and weary of the intricaces Of an Irish ques-
ton which blocks the progress of democratic
reforms
The fact that the financial arrangements arc
tentative and limited to six years naturally Gre
ates prejudice and uncertainty. What the sup
porterS of the bill want is an assurance that
Ireland can pay its way under Home Rule, and
that the whole question will not have to be
rcopened in the course of few years when
Mr.. Gladstone will not be on hand to settle it.
That assurance is now lacking, and the situa-
ton is most serious. Tho Irish Nationalist
will need to be convinced that Mr.. Gladstone's
scheme provides solvent, self sustaining meth
cd of governing the island, or else they will
be likely to withdraw their support from the
Government. The Radicals also must have
some guarantee that Home Rule is a permanent
remedy rather than a temporary specific, or
they will lose interest in the Prime Minister'S
Irish programme. Mr.. Gladstone has wrought
many marvels in his parliamentary experience,
but he needs to become almost as much Of a
necrOmancer as his rival, Lord Bcaconsfeld, in
order to transform the present crisis and to
overcome new sources of prejudice and distlust.