The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-25
Is HOME RULE DOOMED ?
THE BILL Nay GO TO PIECES ON
THE FINASCIAL ROCK.
Mr.. Gladstone's New Financial Scheme
Precipitates CONSERVATION In the
Ranks of His Party.

'"4NotS vi NNh"ilte, VI plOtS LOT ueA'NeA'.i
at decisive moments, OF boastfulness
among the foes and encouragement
among t1e friends Of the Irish cause.
The promise Of the situation to-day is
that the Home Rule bill will leave the
committee hardly before next Christmas,
and that it will come back to the House
or Commons a mangled and worthless
document which neither Government nor
opposition will care TO acknowledge as
it's own.
New financial clauses Of the Home Rule
bill which were submitted by Mr.. Glad
stone to the House of Commons on Thurs
day have not been accepted by any party
as either clear or adequate. The exact
object Of the plan now proposed as a
substitute for the old one IS enveloped in
a mystery which even Mr.. Gladstone
could not enighten. The Liberals and
anti-Parnellites, although less open I'm
their criticisms than the Parnellites say
that the new clauses are far from salts
factory. although not so bad as to justify
the wrecking Of the bin The UnlOnlsts
express confidence that the last proposals
will be found 10 be fully as inexpedient
as the first ones. and are preparing pages
Of amendments calculated 10 illustrate
the correctness of this opinion. Joseph
Chamberlain. formerly Mr.. Gladstone's
Parliamentary lieutenant, and now as
leader of the Liberal Unionists his most
aggressive foe. gave i'm an interview to-
day his reasons for opposing all the finan-
cial plans Of the Government. He said:
There are now virtually three distinct
financial schemes before Parliament--the
new provisional scheme, presented on
Thursday. the future scheme which must
md . I.. ia 4
I'm the original bills. The scheme present
ed on Thursday Is, as might be expected.
a new concession 10 Ireland.
II carried into effect. It will cost Great
Britain 10000 pounds more than the ori-
ginal bill contemplated. 10 rests on even
az rotten basis as the first plan. which
was drawn I'm accordance with miscalcula-
lions OF revenues by a Treasury official
Mr. Gladstone first proposed that Ire
lands contribution TO the Imperial Ex-
chequer should be 17S0OO0 pounds. He
now proposes that the contribution shall
be but l.560.0oO pounds. The difference
Which VIII be even greater than the
figures here given indicate. must como
out Of the pockets OF the British tax
payers. The UniOnists will regard n as
their duty to enlishten the English public
as TO the extent 10 which the alterations
will affect them.
The Anti-Parnelltes or McCarthvites
held a meeting last evening to express
their discomfort with Mr. Gladstone's pro-
posals. After n rather heated discussion
the members decided 10 confne their i'm
mediate demands for amendment TO the
stipulation as 70 the length Of period
which the provisional arrangement should
extend. Mr. Gladstone proposed six years.
The McCarthyites wished the financial ar
rangement 10 be made at the end Of the
third year
The Parnellites. headed Of John and
William Redmond, said that the revised
financial clauses are utterly impossible.
ana must be thoroughly oyerhauled before
they can be accepted by the Irish MEM
bers. John Redmond, the leader of the
Parliamentary group, has already given
notice Of six amendments. among them
one 10 empower the Irish Parliament 10
collect customs due. as was proposed in
the Home Rule bin Of 1856. Mr.. Red
mond says that If there must be pro-
Nsional period for the regulation of Ire
lands financial relations 10 England
a condition which he regards with dis
trust-that period ought 20 be utilized for
ascertaining and defining the exact
amount Of the contribution 10 bc made bv
Ireland To the Imperial Exchequer. lie
will move, therefore, that a royal com
mittee be appointed 10 determine the
financial relations Of Ireland 20 the rest
Of the United Kingdom He does not
trust the estimates given in Mr.. Glad
stones new proposals. The corrected bal
ance sheets. he says. stHI contain grave
errors. so that, although Mr. Gladstone
figured out a nominal surplus Of f50000
for Ireland. there will be I'm fact a deficit
I'm the Treasury at the very beginning of
Home Rule. ireland will not be able 20
meet this debt" Mr. Redmond said yes
terday, unless the Irish Government he
allowed TO deal in her own way with the
imposition and collection Of Irish taxes.
shall move. therefore, when the hnan-
cial clauses come up for debate, that the
special Government guarantee for the six
years or the provisional arrangement the
stated surplus Of f5l20O0. 1 shall move.
also, that Irish contribution TO the I'M
perial EXchequer shall be one-fourth in
stead OF one-third Of the ascertained
revenues"
Mr. Morley, Chief Secretary for Ire
land. is known TO agree with Mr.. Glad
stone that Mr.. Redmond's amendments
cannot be accepted by the Government.
The McCarthyite arrangements for the
shortening Of the provisional term is re-
garded with less aversion. The McCar-
thyites admit reluctantly that I'm view
OF the Governments resistance they may
be driven TO make common cause with
the Parnellites. The prospect to-day,
therefore. is that. unless Mr.. Gladstone
and Mr.. Morley yield. a united Irish
party will defeat the new financial
scheme. In view Of these difficulties.
Mr.. Gladstone has been asked 10 confer
with the leaders OF both Irish parlia- |
mentary groups. and 10 make a final |
effort TO avoid driving the Irish members |
into temporary alliance with the OppO- |
stiOn.
Meantime clause four will be passed. |
and the House committee will proceed 10 |
the consideration OF clause five. The /
latter clause. which concerns the consti-
tuition Of the Irish executive. is highly |
important. and can hardly be got out |
Of the way within two weeks Clauses |
six seven and eight. which concern the
OF the Irish Legislature con-
tain this continuous matter. and there
fore are not loaded down with the inter
minable amendments which have him
iered the committees final action on |
previous paragraphs OF the bill.
Clause nine, however. which concerns
the retention OF Irish members at West
Minister. will undoubtedly be the subject
" more wearisOme and futile debates |
md divisions, such as accompanied the
Of clauses one and two.
Against this clause the opposition Will
exhaust all its familiar methods OF OBJ
,truction. The prospect has appalled, the
Government Mr.. Gladstone and Mr..
Morley are known TO be anxious to drop
he clause. and actually abandon the main
portion Of the bill, that Ireland be fully
represented I'm the Imperial Parliament.
rhe Unionist leaders declare. however.
/. -. 4 4. II