Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-14
FLAWS IN THE GLADSTONE BILL.

One of Lord Salisbury's Oficial Advisers
Opposes the Home Rule Measure.
The debate on the second reading Of the
home rule bill was continued in the house of
commons yesterday.
The Right Hon. Henry Chaplin, who was
president of the board Of agriculture in Lord
Salisburys last cabinet, dissected the bill from
the conservative point of view and pointed out
the many flaws in it. Mr.. Chaplin in the
course Of his speech took occasion to quote
from speech delivered by Mr.. Gladstone in
1881, in which the improved conditions that
had been effected in Ireland in the preceding
twenty years were pointed out.
Mr.. Chaplin referred to the opinions of
Cavour. Geffieken and Molinares against home
rule rs disproving Mr.. Gladstone's statement
that foreign opinion was unanimously on his
side.
IF Mr.. Gladstone" exclaimed Mr. Chaplin,
sis going to take his principles from the foreign
enemies of England. it is time that he relin-
pushed the cares of government" Continuing.
he said that the retention Of the Irish members
in the imperial parliament, provided for in
the bill, would prove the beginning Of system
of danger and intrigue.
PARNELLITE OPINION.
Mr.. John Edward Redmond, Parnellite MEM
Der for Waterford city, followed Mr.. Chaplin
Mr.. Redmond declared that the speech made
by Mr.. Chaplin was stale, fat and Improbable.
The former president of the board Of agricul-
ture, Mr.. Redmond said. was type Of the gov
ernors who had made Ireland disaffected and
the concession OF home rnle to that country in
evitable.
Mr.. Redmond took occasion to explain why
he spoke. He said that he would not have IN
truded in the debate, but he had found that his
silence had been misunderstood, and he desired
to make his position clear. The bill had been
offered and accepted as compromise measure.
The right honorable member for Birmingham
(Mr. Joseph Chamberlsin) had complained that
the Irish members Of the house did not accept
the bill as final. What right had he to effect
such guarantee?
Mr.. Redmond declared that he, himself, did
not believe the bill to be final settlement, and
he agreed with Mr.. Chamberlain that the final
settlement would be found in the direction of
federalism. He believed that the new con-
stitution would be a success and that in the
future the bounds of freedom would be
widened with the consent of all parties in Eng
land. Unless Ireland had no capacity for self
government this constitution must develop.
J: would be a rash man who would venture to
say that it should be immutable for all time
Suppose clause was inserted declaring the
bill to be final it would not be worth the paper
it was written on. II Mr.. Chamberlain meant
ny MS complaint 10 lmpute Da1 1altn TO the
Irish members because they declined to accept
the bill as a finality he (Mr. Redmond) utterly
disclaimed any such Interpretation of their
intentions. They protested with all the
earnestness at their command their de-
sire to accept the measure in an honest
candid spirit. and they hoped the bill would
speedily end the miserable chapter OF English
oppression and Irish resistance. He had never
said that Ireland would repudIate imperial su-
premacy, as had been charged. What he had
said was that an interference with Ireland's
free exercise Of her new privileges would not be
consistent with the trust England was about to
place in Ireland. He was convinced that the
necessity for interference would not arise, be-
cause rash or oppressive acts, should they be
adopted by the new parliament would be SO
many nails in the coffin of the constitution.
Continuing his remarks. Mr.. Redmond made
a lengthy review Of the historic basis OF Ire
lands demands for home rule.
IN CASE THE BILL Is REJECTED.
Mr.. Redmond painted a gloomy picture Of
the consequences of the rejection Of the home
rule bill. He ridicued the so-called Ulster
argument. There might be Belfast question,
but no Ulster question. 46 per cent of the pop
ulation Of Ulster being Catholic. Many of the
Protestant population were afraid to avow their
sympathy with home rule.
Mr. Redmond concluded with a warm appeal
to the house to throw upon Irish shoulders the
eoperinS influence OF responsibility TO enable
Ireland to become. if not SO prosperous, rich
and happy, at least as contented, peaceful and
free as England.
NO NECESSITY FOR THE MEASURE.
Right Hon. Leonard H. Courtney (unionist),
member for the Bodmin division Of Cornwall,
was the next speaker. He said he saw no ne
cessity for the home rule measure. He said
he bad grave misgivings to whether an Irish
parliament would deal with the varied interests
Of the country as justly as the imperial parlia-
ment had dealt with them. He asked why the
government had not borrowed a further safe
guard from America, namely, the provision
that no state shall pass any law subversive Of
obligations or contracts.
Mr.. Morley, chief secretary for Ireland, here
interposed the remark that the government bad
well considered that point and would be able
to give good reasons for the course it had
taken.
Mr.. Gladstone replying to Henry Labouchere
(radical), member for Northampton, said that
the course Of the debate on the home rule bill
did not warrant the invoking of the closure
rule.
Mr.. Courtney, concluding his remarks, said
that but for Mr.. Gladstones scheme be saw no
reason why Ireland should no. have by now had
local self-government aud Mr.. Sexton have
been made secretary for ireland.
On motion of Home Secretary Asquith the
debate was adjourned.