The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-18

In regard to this session Of Parliament. Al
TO the principle OF the bill. there lie no con
troversy. Tho necessity OF training the
recently enfranchised agricultural laborers
IN the habit OF self-government In loca
affairs by somo such institutions as the
suggested parish councils Ia universally
acknowledged.
Wo have before us the details OF the
Parish Councils bill, as It Is popularity
called. although tho official designation is
A Bill for the Extension Of Local Govern
ment In England and Wales. This meas
ure is accepted in principle by tho Conser-
vatlves as well as the Gladstonians. 1t is
possible, indeed. that some amepdments
will be proposed In the House OF Lords. but
Lord SALISBURY himself regards IL as a
proper supplement OF the County Councils
act. and as the logical outcome OF the be-
stowal OF the franchise on the agricultural
laborer. Should the measure be passed
substantially In the present form, 1t will
! entirely extinguish the powers OF the
squire and the parson in the secular AFFAIRS
OF parishes, and transfer these to the labor
ing population. That Is to say. an English
parish will be managed precisely like q
Now England township, all the local. nom
religious concerns being regulated by OIL
GERS chosen by a majority OF the voters.
In England this Ia q startling innovation.
Nothing exactly like 1t existed even in Anglo
Saxon times; the attempts Of some his
torians to prove the existence at that epoch
Of counterpart Of the New England town
ship are not generally deemed successful.
1t would be difficult to conceive OF any
A.. H. A. DvIt l.
ton OF local administration In the rural
parts OF England. The Board OF Guardians.
the local sanitary authorities, the Highway
Board, the county magistrates. the church.
wardens and overseers. the Charity Com
missioners. the Local Government Board.
the Board OF Agriculture. the Education
Department. the 1.-THE Commissioners, and
the Enclosure Commissioners all have o
right to interpose in local affairs. but no
one knows exactly when. where. or TO what
extent. Moreover. inquiry on the subject
by private persons has hitherto been re-
sented. and the result has been the extinc-
ton Of public spirit by universal apathy
and Indifference.
It has been asked by some Of those who
dislike the democratio character OF the pro-
posed parish councils: Why not confer all
the powers requisite for local administra-
ton upon the vestry2 The answer Is that
the vestry Is not representative institu-
ton: that. whatever 1t may once have been
In theory. it Is now In practice simply
meeting Of few leading inhabitants once
or twice year to appoint churchwardens
and overseers and 10 transact certain routine
business as hurriedly as possible. The the
oretical function Of the vestry. considered as
ageneral meeting Of parishioners or local
parliament. will be for the first time fully
realized in the parish meeting. which, ac-
cording to the bill now pending. will be
called once year for the election Of par
ish council, all the electors being persons
qualified to vote for members OF Parliament
or Of the county council. The parish coun-
ell will displace the vestry only SO far as
secular matters are concerned. 1t will have
nothing to do with church affairs or with
ecclesiastical charities. The only public
property that may be transferred in block
to parish council Is property held by trus-
tees for o public recreation ground. or for
allotments, or for any like public purpose.
The PARISH council Is authorized to pro-
vide or acquire buildings or land for
public Offices or recreation grounds and
public walks. to acquire. also. rights OF way
for the public benefit. and to deal with wa
ter supply and drainage. It Is further en-
powered to carry out the provisions OF any
Of the so-called adaptive acts that parish
meeting shall have adopted. These acts re-
late to lighting and watching. baths and
wash houses. burials. public improvements.
and public libraries. For any Of these pur-
poses the parish council may borrow money.
under the conditions at present applicable
to local authorities. but only with the sane
ton Of the district council. which is body
midway position between the
parish council and the county council, and
of the Local Government Board. which is,
OF course. an organ Of the central admin
istration. A further check on extrava-
gance Is supplied In the provision that. for
any expenditure involving rate OF more
than one penny In the pound for the local
financial year. a parish council must have
the assent Of the district council subject
to a final appeal to the county council.
Moreover. no such expenditure can be in
Cured. nor can any parish property be sold
or exchanged without the consent OF par
ish meeting. These restrictions seem to
OueT OIL uoCooSdTy bulok udIup uBdluSt tuo
reckless imposition Of taxes.
At present. the agricultural laborer is
said to view with Indifference the rights
which the Parish Councils bill would give
him. What he wants is allotments Of land.
and to have voice in their distribution.
AS for other matters. he Is willing that the
squire and the parson shall attend to them
as they have done time out OF mind. tits OBJ
vious that such state OF feeling no longer
BELTS the rural laborer. since he has been
invested with the Parliamentary franchise.
Possessing political powers. he now requires
political training. The manifest purpose
and inevitable outcome of the Parish Coun-
ellis bill is to form the habit OF self-govern-
ment. which the agricultural laborer has
long lost. II he ever possessed it.
1t Is certainly creditable to the English
party that it. as well as the
Gladstonian. should recognize that political
rights and political training ought to go