The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-04-26

putes arise, they are to be re1erreu 10
a body called the judicial committee OF
the privy council, the creature OF the
imperial government. A viceroy is the
chief representative of the imperial
power, and all acts passed by the Dub
lin parliament are subject to the veto OF
the viceroy. He will have sole right of
initiating money bills, and he will be
amenable to advice from his executive
council and liable to receive direct in
structions from the imperial govern
ment at Westminster. In fact, the
Irish parlame mt is completely subordin-
ated to the will of the imperial parlia-
ment, which retains in its own hands
not only the right to repeal the whole
or any part of the home-rule act, but
may at any time, when that act is in
full force, legslate directly for Ireland,
the same as if the Irish parliament did
not exist.
The proposed Irish parliament will
consist of two chambers, house of lob
members, chosen for five years, and an
elective council of forty-eight members,
elected once in eight years by the own
ers or occupiers of property of the rate
able value of twenty pounds year.
When the two chambers disagree, there
must either be a dissolution or an in
terval of two years before the house can
send bill a second time to the council.
The customs duties, which the imperial
government retains, amounts to e2,-
800, 900. All other sources of revenue
belong to Ireland. Towards the reduc-
ton of the Irish tribute, there is to be a
subsidy of $780, 600 for the first year
| towards the cost of the constabulary,
which is to be diminished year by year
till it disappears. "By this MEANS" a
writer on this subject remarks, ifthe
the Irish drink as much whiskey under
home rule as they do under coercion,
they will be able to pay their way and
have surplus on paper of $500 900, the
total cost of their civil administration
being reckoned at e5, 1000
An American state, hampered by the
restrictions pr divided for Ireland, would
consider home rule very much of a
farce. From an American point of
view, the Gladstone scheme is utterly
impracticable. But, Notwithstanding
the five severest restrictions which an
Irish member characterizes as "the
five heads of the HYDRA" the Irish
members of parliament have accepted
the measure in good faith and il is
securing the united support of the varied
elements that make up Mr.. Gladstone's
following. His first home-rule bill,
presented seven years ago, excluded
the Irish members from the imperial
parliament. The present bill admits
the Irish members to the imperial par.
lament, but excludes them from de.
liberating or voting on any bill OF
motion relating to Irish affairs. This
clause of Mr.. Gladstone's bill is sharply
attacked by many who favor home rule
for Ireland, but do not believe in order
to secure so desirable an object it is
necessary to mutilate the imperial par
Lament. Americans will appreciate
the force and reasonableness of this
argument against the present home
rule bill. But Notwithstanding all the
powerful arguments against the bill
it passed on Saturday to its second read
ing by majority of forty-lhree votes
with only nineteen absentees. LIS final
passage in the commons is we'll assured
but the impression is that the Lords
will defeat the bill unless it shall appear
that the English people generally favol
the measure.