The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-06-06
The Prospects Of Home Rule.

The outcome Of the tactics pursued by
the opponents Of the Home Rule bill during
the committee stage proves that Mr.. CHAM
BHRnAN Is o more astute politician than
Lord SALISBURY. The latter. at O meeting
held In the Carlton Club just after the bill
had passed tho second reading. advised
that In committee the Conservatives should
refrain from proposing any amendments.
and should confine themselves to register
Ing their votes against every feature Of the
project. Tho bill. he thought. should be
treated rs too essentially and utterly bad
tobe capable OF improvement. and as fit
only to be destroyed root and branch. How
ever. when. subsequently. the dlssdent Lib
erals were called together. Mr.. CHAMBER
LAIN advocated l very different course Of
procedure. 1t was the duty Of Unionists.
hesAid. while hoping and striving to ami
hilato the measure. to miss at the same
time no opportunity Of rendering it. by
amendments. as innoxlous as possible. In
this policy alone. he added, lay chance OF
exciting misRivings among the lukewarm
Glndstonians anc Of provoking q rupture be-
tween them and the Irish Natonalists. Even
should It prove impossible to prevent the
passage Of the bill by the present House OF
Commons. prolonged, earnest. and minute
discussion would have the effect Of placing
all. the grounds Of objection and distrust
before the public eye and thus smoothing
the way for second appeal to the electors
One sinister but powerful motive Mr..
CHAMBERLAIN did not avow, namely. his
knowledge that. in view OF the great age Of
Mr.. GLADSTONE. to gain time Is an object
Of supreme moment to the Unionists. for
every month wasted in debate multiplies
the chances OF depriving ireland a her
chief champion.
Tho advice OF Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN pre-
vaitod over that OF Lord SALISBURY. and
the Unionists. not without some show Of
re3son, arc exulting over the results Much
tmo they have already gained. and they can
mot. seemingly. be hIndered from gaining
great deal more. Weeks have passed since
the committee stage began. yet even the
third clause Of the bill is far from being dis
posed Of, some ninety amendments to It
stu awaiting discussion. II the same tao
tics are kept up by the Unionists. and re-
course to the closure Is not had oftener
by the Government. tho autumn will have
come before tho whole bill Is carried
through committee. Nor Is this uncon-
scionable delay the only ground on which
the Unionists profess to feol encourage
mont. They point to the fact that In the
division on one OF their amendments the
Government majority. which normally OK
ceeds forty. sank to less than thirty. and
they assert that more serious losses were
only hverted on several occasions by the
Nlnlstry's acceptance Of their emendations
They note, also. with sardonio satisfaction.
that the limit to such concessions to half
hearted followers Of Mr.. GLADSTONE has
apparently been reached. for last week Mr.
GKyToN demanded that Ireland's repre-
;sentatives should be consulted before the
government again acquiesced in the pro-
0osals OF the Opposition. II friction has al
0eAdy begun to show itself. how much more
% likely to be- developed when the financial
provisions Of the bill are taken up. and the
clauses defining the powers or the Irish
second chamber and the method OF electing
II come under fire.
With months Of exasperating debate be-
Pore them. with 80 dexterous parllamenta-
dan as Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN to guide the OPP
position. and with Government majority
% Small that change OF 20 votes from ono
etde to the other would extinguish 1t. the
friends OF homo rulo might begin to feel
respondent were not counter and prepon-
oorAnt forces at work In their favor. In the
urst place. Mr.. GLADSTONE is an even
more consummate master OF parliamentary
strategy and tactics than Is Mr.. CHAMBER
GAIA. Thus far. while exhibiting spirit OF
equity and cAndor by oonsenting. after ar
gument. to change some clauses of his bill
In matters Of phraseology aud Of Insignia
can't detail. he has kept his main purpose
steadily in view. and has held we'll In hand
all ssotIons II his heterogeneous following.
Nor should " W fursuie II thai his present