The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-15

sources, Ireland will be better Oh. shoald
| Mr.. G~LADsroNE's bill become q law. than
one of the States OF our Union. The sole
source Of revenue reserved to the Imperial
e%xchequer Is the customs duties levied In
Irish ports. These are accepted In full pay
ment OF Ireland's share OF the expenditures
for imperial purposes. although they con
| stitute only from four to five per cent. OF
tho aggregate sum required. All otner
means OF raising money In Ireland. inciud-
ing the excise. or what we call the internal
revenue tax. the income tax, and the stamp
| tax arc transferred to the Irish Govern
ment to DO used for Irish purposes. Inc
postal and telegraph rates are, indeed. liked
ut Westminster in order that they may BIO
uniform for the whole United Kingdom;
but in Ireland they are to DO collected by
Irish officers and paid into the Irish treas
ury. Let Irish-Americnns consider how
we'll on wo should think ourselves In New
York, IL the power OF tho Federal Govern
mont to raise money from tho citizens OF
this State weredimitcd to tho collection OF
customs duties.
We come now to the representation OF
Ireland ut Westminster. This is to be re-
duced from 1903 members to so-the latter
number being proportional to the Irish
population. AS to their voting power. this
is indeed a question. as Mr.. GLADSTONE
said, beset with thorns and brambles. In
principle they are to vote not on British
but only on imperial matters. But how ID
the distinction to be drawn? Mr.. GLAD
STONE has essayed to make one by
excluding the Irish members at st. Ste
phen's from voting on n bill or motion ex-
pressly confined to Great Britain: from
voting on a tax not levied upon Ireland;
from voting on an appropriation OF money
for other thar imperial services. and lastly.
from voting on any motion or resolution
exclusively affecting Great Britain. But
what he thus takes away with one hand no
seems to give back with the other; for he
%pronounees 1t impossible to prohibit the
Irish members from taking part in n vote
OF confidence. Suppose, then. that the
question at issue between a Ministry and
the Opposition were n British income tax.
and that tho Opposition were too weak.
unaided by Irish members. to defeat the
proposal. Before the tax had been accept
ed by the Commons. the Opposition might
move a vote Of confidence. and, calling in
the so Irish members. might turn out the
Government. Would not. in such a case.
the Irish members be practically deciding
a purely British question This instance
shows that the retention OF Irish members
ut Westminster bristle5 with difficulties
which may pass the ingenuity Of man to
smooth way except by a sweeping appli-
cation OF the Federal system. which Mr..
GLADSTONE has no idea Of making.
1t should be remembered that neither Mr..
GLADSTONE nor the Irish Nationalists have
desired to keep representatives OF Ireland
at Westminster. The demand for their re-
tention has been pressed by a wing Of the
British Liberals. who see in such retention
a salient and tangible proof Of Ireland's
acknowledgment Of the supremacy OF the
imperial Parliament. But in tho new bill
there are SO many other safeguards OF his
supremacy that perhaps all tho Liberals
may ultimately be prevailed upon to admit
that the exclusion OF such members
from Westminster would make the Home
Rule scheme more workable. 1t should be
remembered that for the case OF constitu-
tional questions growing out Of collisions
between the London and Dublin Parlia-
ments. Mr.. GLADsToNEh has provided II court
OF appeal in the Judicial Committee OF tho
imperial Frivy Council. taking care to an
nounce. however. that tho different nation
alities should be proportionately repre-
sented on this committee.
We have marked here the principal fea-
lures OF the new measure as they are out
lined in Mr.. GLADsToNE's speech. We shall
recur to them presently. when the text OF
the bill reaches us. and consider how they
are likely to work under the social and
conditions Of Ireland at this
time. 1t will be observed that about the
land question. a matter Of capital impor-
lance. not a word Is said In our abstract OF
the Liberal leaders exposition.