The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-15
HOME RULE DEBATE.
Bloody" Balfour Says the New
Bill Is Impracticable.
IRISH LEADERS FAVOR IT.
Redmond Makes Some Objections to the
Land Question Provisions-O'B rien
Thinks the Main Lines Noble.

LONDON. Feb. 14-In the commons to-
day Lord George Hamilton asked Glad
stone when he proposed to introduce his
bill dealing with Irish land tenure. Glad
stone declined to commit the government
to any pledge to introduce land bill.
Balfour then. amid loud Unionist cheers,
began the reply to Gladstone's speech last
evening. He said:
The house. first Of all, has the right to inquire
why any bill, good or bad. is required. The
prime minister must see that bill of this mag.
nitude 10 hardly justified by any condition Of
affairs like that from which tho necessity for
the crimes act arose. 1t 10 a criminal attempt
to etup In Ireland legislature practically indie
pendent OF the imperial parliament Ulster, at
least. deserved exceptional treatment, for
which no provision appeared in the bill He
contended that the plan outlined for dealing
with the constabulary, with . civil service gov
eminent, would certainly lead to inhicting
great hardship. He then proceeded to criticise
the plan OF creating three constituent
cies of different forms In Ireland.
The adoption Of such a scheme would
plunge affairs into condition OF hopeless
ENHANCEMENT (Hear, hear.l AZ to the exercise
OF power by the imperial government parliament,
ne held that such provision would lead to q
legislative deadlock in either the English or
be imperial supremacy on the understanding
that an honorable bargain be entered into be.
tween the imperial government and the Irish
parliament Speaking for those honorable gen.
tlemen who agreed with him in political mat
tiers, he declared that no such bargain was pos
sible or would be given. tCheers.1 If the
supremacy OF the British parliament ID to be
preserved il must be by a form of supremacy
which would be operative. As to financial pro-
posals, why ought this country to give Ireland
x17.Oo0,0OO? The only reason which can con-
ceive is that it is confession that We beaten
and must pay that amount sort OF war in
demnity. LLaughteEl The federal government
OF the colonial government may be good. aud
the British constitution, as it stands, may be
good, but this bastard combination OF them is
iudicrous and impossible. The prime minister
asks us to rc:race our steps and make progress
toward disintegratiOn. Do not let us within
the United Kingdom itself endeavor to bring
about state OF things which We see will De
severely productive of national weakness. Ire
land is now In process OF being united to Great
Britain more closely in q bond of common
natiOnal affection than ever before. Repeated
Unionist cheers
Brice, chancellor of the duchy of Lanca-
shire. replying to Balfour declared that
the governments justification for bring
ing the bill forward was the failure of
coercion. In regard to Ulster, the house
ought not to judge the situation by the
buster of certain members.
John Redmond, Parnellite, while in
sympathy with the broad principles of
the bill, found in it grave blots and felt it
imperative to press for an amendment to
many OF its provisions. Irishmen always
disputed the validity of the act of union
and If they accepted the bill and with it
the supremacy of the imperial parliament
based upon the act of the union. they
must have some guarantee that the
British parliament would not exercise its
right to legislate over the heads of the
Irish parliament in local matters.
T. w. Russell, Unionist. said Ulster
would oppose the dill to the last.
On motion Of Lord Randolph Churchill,
debate was then adjourned.
Morley stated tonight, in reply to ques-
ton by John Redmond, that the Irish
constabulary would remain under imperial
control for six years according to the bill
Redmond limited that had this been
known before the schism in the Irish party
might have been closed. This utterance is
regarded as the prelude to reunion of the
factions.
The following statement of the contents
of the home rule bill were officially
handed to p correspondents:
The bill offers Ireland a Legislature free to
deal In ali Irish affairs and executive govern
ment res ponsible to that legislature In all the
main principles and in political machinery it is
provided for much better than in the bill of
1885, The Irish parliamentary party at a meet
ing after the delivery of Gladstoue's speech
cordially accepted the new home rule constitu.
ton, subject to an endeavor in committee to
10
and to have the time shortened wherein the
land question is to be withheld from the pur-
view OF the Irish national legislature. We are au.
thorized by the party to transmit this resolution
to the friend and supporters OF Irish liberty in
the United States aud Canada.
JOHN DILLON.
MICHAEL DAvITE
William O'Brien, member Of parliament
for Cork city. said this morning in an in
terview regarding the home rule bill:
1t seems to me that the main principles Of the
bill provide for a be tier settlement OF the home
rule question than that of 1850 Our chief reserva-
ton is on the financial proposals. 1t remains to
be seen whether Gladstones surplus Of Ej00,00O
Is real Sexton, Dillon. Blake and others OF our
friends fear that the full extent of the local
change has not been taken into account The
proposed contribution for the support of police
will involve formidable drain for the first few
year. Irshmen will hold their opinion on such
matters at present and do their threshing out
when the figures have been fnily examined and
underwood Nevertheless the main lines of the
bill are noble and q sufficient settle
ment of the national claims. We are
able TO heartily recommend Irish acceptance of
the measure. /, gives substantial control over
our domestic affairs. We should not te iust-
fei in reeenting the provisions giving the mi
nority adequate representation and providing
n yps al no nd no NJ m
imperial parliament The second chamber will
doubtless be considerable OF a drag, and the
franchise of go Will probably insure majority
OF the members OF the council for the Tory land.
owners, who are certain to CONN against any
cxtravagant proposals on the part OF popular
chamber. This however, is not likely to be
stumbling block. as the Natioualists do not
contemplate revolutionary programme. The
programme of the Nationalist would be SYM
pathetic and patriotic, combining all sensi bic
people in the work of advancing the business
interests Of Ire ana. The police arrangements
are practically those agreed upon with Parnell
a. Boulogne. The bulk of the present force
would doubtless bs re-engsged under Irish
authority The checks upon the apportionment
Of the judges are irksOme. but possibly useful
There are now too many judges In Ireland, but
the chances are that tbe more rabid of these
will retire on pensions II lis sacrifice 10 de-
mand that irishrnen shall be deoarred from
touching the land question for three years. We
recognize the Compromise as reasonable, but
must press for p1wer 10 check the present land
commissioners ia the meantime from sadding
leasehoders with back rents Irishmen Will
probably sssen, 20 a reduction oil membership
1T Westminster
John Burns. Labor member for Batter
sea, said he was greatly pleased with the
bill. although from Il democratic point