The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-15
THE EEVILSOF HOMERULE
BILFOUR, THE CONSERVATIVE
LEADER, REPLIES TO GLADSTONE.
He Endeavors TO Prove Many of the Pre-
mier's Fears of Coercion Unfounded.
The Bill Accepted by the Irish.

4
BaIfour. the Conservative leader, asked
Mr.. Gladstone whether. under the pro-
visions OF the Home Rule bill, the con-
tributions from the imperial exchequer to
local purposes in Ireland would be con-
tlnued, and IL they We're not, then he de-
sired to ask what security British tax
payers would have for advances under
the Land Purchase act.
Mr.. Gladstone replied that contributions
from the imperial eAchequer for Irish
| local purposes would cease, and the bill
creates first charge on the Irish consoi-
dated fund in favor Of the British ex-
chequer for repayments under the Land
Purchase act. IL further provides a sum-
mary method To recover from the irish
| eXchequer, without the Intervention Of
| lTish authority, any sums due TO the
| British exchequer
Lord George Hamilton asked Mr.. Glad
| stone when he proposed to introduce a bill
dealing with the Irish tenure.
| Mr.. Gladstone declined to commit the
| Government TO any pledeg TO Introduce a
| land bill. He said il did not intend TO run
a Land bill alongside Of the Home Rue
| BILL The administration of the land laws
| In the hands Of the local authorities.
Mr.. Balfour then rose, amid loud lrnion-
ist cheers, and began his reply TO Mr.
Gladstones speech OF last evening" lie
said:
The House, first Of all. has the right TO
| inquire: Why is any bill. good or bad.
required This Is the question which the
Prime Minister has tried to answer on
TWO famous occasions, once IN 1885 and
eealh last evening. Seven years ago he
laid the whole strength of his arglment
upon the absence of social order in Ire
land. He told the House then that the
jurics in Ireland could not be trusted 10
do their duty. and that every eviction.
Just or unjust, was looked on with sus-
plrlon by the aSrarian population. The
whole tendency OF his argument was TO
show that the alterr ative before the
House was Home Rule or drasti, coer-
clon. Seven years have now elapsed Is
there drastic coercion still in Ireland? IL
II Is not in operation do you see the con-
sequences which the Premier then fore
shadowed2 Has it been impossible TO pro-
serve social order?
Does the Prime Minister still find that
IRISH juries cannot do their duty: that
the asrarian question Is beyond solution:
Indt IandloHis are not getting their rights?
"hy' you all know that the present CHIEF
secretary for Ireland has told you recent
~ That never has there been "A time wbe,
rents were better paid. SO great is the con-
hdence In the manner i'm which Irish
Jurles DO their duty that the chief sec
retary would not even retain in the
Dlll provision for a change Of venue.
Which bis colleagues declared was no lin
itation Of the subject C'hear, hear'0.
therefore the dilemma which the prime
minister nlqFnl h.,
has proven TO be no dilemma at all and
we are reduced TO the conclusion that II
Is deemed necessary to shake the founCa-
tlons OF the ancient constitution Of the
country not because coercion is in active
operation in Ireland but because we have
on the statute book a permanent act for
coercion which may or may not be re-
quired C'hear, hear'O
The Prime Minister must see that a
bill OF this magnitude is hardly Justified
by any condition of affairs like that from |
"hich the necessity of TIE crime act |
arose. by universal admission there are |
TWO cares OF trouble In Ireland: one |
the agrarian condition Of the country. |
the other the fact that it is possible ov- |
ing to unhappy history Of the land ques- |
tlon. Tor persons with political object TO |
serve TO trOuse criminal agitation |
throughout Ireland. | do not care which |
or these alternatives is chosen Which
ever Is chosen, it does not point TO the
necessity Of home rule, but rather 10
the impossibility Of its adoption II the
Prime Minister takes the view that the |
con~tion Of the agrarian question is
really block I'm the way Of social order
In Ireland, how can he possibly expect
the difficulty to be put out Of the way
by the action Of an Irish parliament un-
less we are prepared to see the agraran
question settled by the destruction of the
Unpopular minority who possess TIE lands
II the agrarian trouble were the only |
real trouble, how could il be settled other
wise than by the imperial Parliament?
II is criminal 10 attempt 10 set up In |
Ireland legislature practically indepen-
dent OF the imperial Parliament.
Under these conditions the Prime Min
ister tried TO found his recomme ndation
OF the Home Rule bill upon the Irish
majority in favor OF the measure When |
the Reform bill Of 1884 was brought in
the present Prime Minister was fairly
warned OF what circumstances might be
upon the Irish representation, but with
all knowledge he declared that English
majorities were not likely to be moved by
Ireland sending a largely augmented num-
ber OF Home Rulers to Parliament. Per-
haps, the only sound constitutional way
VI aSSuilHS puDllc opinion upon this |
point would be to take the votes OF the |
House without too curiously inquiring |
from what country they came if thev |
we're going to adopt any principle let |
hem adopt IL In it's entirety. Why were |
hey to look to a Nationalist majority
n Ireland without looking TO a loyal
majority in Ulster? (Cries Of heart hearD
BY what right were they to proceed to
,ut off Ireland from the rest Of the United
because a majority from an
arbitrarily selected area warted Home
Rule? conservative cheers and Irish
aughter) When Protestant Ulster. with
IN absolutely unanimous voice. declared
lgainst the measure, with aversion and
Lbhorrence, then majorities ought not TO
ount; they became mere local ebulitions
II feeling. Hear and laughter) Ulster
{ least deserved exceptional treatment,
or which no provision appeared in the
Ill now placed before the House"
Proceeding to discuss the proposals OF
he bill In detail, Mr.. Balfour condemned
hem all. The Government knows. he
aid, that the Ulster landlords in Ireland
re opposed to this scheme. The land
ords know who their masters will be IN
he scheme be carried into effect. These
masters have never hidden what their |
Intentions are. The disloyal portion of G
'cla nd find in most Jf the b.l, on the | ]
ther hand, the goal Of their desires '
hey know. however. that their domestic | !
olicy would be hampered by legislative {
ouncil elected by a high arbitrary fran =
hise, and IL is not likely that they will {
e content with scheme which, instead I
making Ireland nation. would give I
er much less freadon than L. ani,,,oa | a