The sun., 1893-02-20

The review will be not only a specially
appropriate tribute to the great navigator
In whose honor Congress originally
planned It. but a fino practice for our new
steel fleet, now for the first time to be
brought together on large scale. In evolu-
tions aud manpuvres. 1t will be saiutary
| exhibition In many ways OF our rebuilt
navy. and it must be mnde thoroughly
worthy OF this great nation.
Will Members OF Parliament he Paid?
An Incident which occurred OH Thursday
in the House Of Commons will have the
effect Of bringing into the foreground OF
discussion the proprietv Of paying men,
I bers OF Parliament. Viscount WoLMER,
speaking at a Unionist meeting. had de-
clarcd that the Irish members subsisted on
contributions male by the Gladstonan
caucus. and the Times. commenting op the
statement. asserted that Mr. GLADsToNE's
majority would be wiped out. II what 1t
termed the Irish mercenaries did not re-
ceivc stipcnds drawn from the Liberal party
fund or from tho Private Iiberality of rich
. English partisans. The charge made by the
| 7inss was pronounced false by Mr.. SEXTON
| and after some debate a motion was carried
! that the editor of the newspaper be called
! to the bar Of the House to apologize for a
| breach OF privilege. subsequently. the
Irish members expressed n willingness to
be satisfied with the publication OF an apol-
ogy. but. in making this. the Times reiter-
ated the assertion that the Irish National
lists were paid party-paid by the enemies
OF England. Whether or no the House Is
again called upon to rebuke the editor. it is
certain that the question whether members
Of Parliament are justified in accepting re-
muneration for their services from their
constituents. and whether 1t would not DO
expedient to substitute salaries from the
imperial exchequer. will become the subject
OF DEBATE.
The fact is undisputed that some OF the
Irish Nationalist members. being poor men
dependent on their daily work for their
daily bread. could not discharge their pub
lie duties II their supporters and sympa-
thizers did not provide them with some
means OF subsistence. The fund applicable
to their maintenance has hitherto been col
lected partly among Home Rulers in Ire
land and partly from American friends Of
the homo rule cause. So far as the remu-
ncration given to an Irish member for his
time and labor Is derived from his
Irish constituents, his moral IL not
legal right to receive it is ungues-
tionable. Even the London Times would
not deny that certain English representa-
tives Of labor in Parliament are justified In
accepting. as they do. modest stipends from
the trade unions In lieu Of the private
earnings from which they are cut off by
their legislative work. For more than two
centuries after the so-called Model Parlla.
ment held In the reign OF EDWARD l., men,
bers were more or less regularly paid by
their constituencies. and writ for the pur-
pose OF compelling such payment was issued
as late as the reign OF CHARLES II. Lord
CAMPBELL expressed the opinion that even
| now n constituency could be forced by an
action at law to compensate its representa-
tive at Westminster for his services.
Whatever doubt may DO cast in England
on legislators legal right to payment.
his moral right Is recognized and embodied
In law in almost all countries possessing
Parliamentary Governments. Sometimes
the representative IL rcmunerated by his
constituents and sometimes from the
national treasury. We have tried both
methods In the United States. Under tho
Articles OF Confederation. members of Con-
gress were paid by the States which dele
gated them. On the other hand. under our
Federal Constitution. they are paid by the
Federal Government. The latter plan. being
obviously more convenient and reasonable,
has come to be generally preferred. In
country like England. poor men have
especially strong grounds for demanding
that the pay OF their representatives in
Parliament shall be public charge, be-
cause the public revenue is mainly derived
from excise and customs duties. which, in
their ultimate effect. distribute the burden
OF taxation over tho whole people.
The trade unions and English working
men In general hnve nwakenei to the fact
that the threa Reform acts will never bear
the fruit expected until poor men are not
only allowed to vote. but. through the pay
ment OF salaries to members. are enabled
to take part personally in legislation. That
tho latorer Is worthy OF his hire for public
as well as private service was resolutely
asserted ut the last Trades Union Congress,
and demand for tho payment OF iegis-
lators figures prominently In the pro-
granime not only OF the Labor party
proper. but OF the British Radicals. It Is
certain that both sections OF the Irish
Nationalists would earnestly support such
Il proposal. 1t is said, however. that
Mr.. GLADSTONE, who cannot wholly shake
of the conservative traditions amid which
the earlier part of his life was passed, is not
prepared to meet their wishes In whole
hearted way. The utmost he will consent
to do is. We are told. TO bring In q bill or
resolution making the payment OF a cer-
tain stipend to members optional with
themselves. This plan Is pronounced OBJ
jectionable and even offensive by tho Radi-
Gals. On the ground that 1t seems to affix
stigma on the recipients OF salaries by
forcing them to plead poverty. 1t is prob
able that more votes could be obtained for
a mandatory than for an optional measure.