New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-25
'IBY CABLE TO THB TRIBUNE
copyrfcht: 1898: Bv The Tribune Assceiotton.

Copvyicht 1893 Bu The Tribune Assccdnon
London, June 24.-The new finance clauses
of the Home Rule bill are not much more
than an epitaph. They will serve to bury
this unhappy measure with dccorum, or with
az much decorum as obsequics of this nat
ure demand. The Irish have always held. and
rightly held, that any Home Rule worth having
must be self-sustaining and solvent. If the Irish
Legislature has not the power of the purse, 1t
hoe in their view nothing Mr. Gladstone's new
money clauses take away the power of the purse.
ireland IL not to he allowed to manage her own
finance The existing system is to be maintained
There will be no change in fixing, managing or
collecting" the present taxes. II it be any CON-
ISOLATION TO downtrodden Ireland, she may impose
new taxes on herself. Probably that Is a conso-
lation since the whole scheme of Home Rule Is
based on the theory that taxes are to be levied
bv one class of the community and paid by an
other.
That however is a speculative and, perhaps, a
sentimental concession on Mr.. Gladstones part.
He is practical enough in other respects. He
takes third of wlpt lie calls the ascertaned
revenue of Ireland, and pays it into the Imperial
treasury II is to be 1reland's quota OF Imperial
expenditure, her contribution to the maintenance
of the Empire to which she is 80 deeply attached.
II there should be a war; the Imperial Parliament
NAV impoSe further taxes on, her. 1t would deep
on her attachment and her loyalty. This plan,
IL il NAV be called plan, is to last for six years
I. ia avowedly proposed as an experiment. IL Is
a confession that the wit Of man cannot devils" a
scheme of Irish finance which shall at the same
time insure the solvency of Home Rule and the
liberation Of the English people.
The English taxpayer is beginning to see that
whatever form Home Rule may take, 1t means
ultimately fresh burden on him. Mr. Gladstone
is the first of living Englsh-I beg his pardon,
mean "pure Scotch "-financiers. If he cannot
concoct scheme that is even plausible who can
lie hangs up finance for six years. Who is to
settle it then? Experience. say the good Glad
stonians. is to teach the lesson: but what expert
cnce could he gained under system which kept
Ireland in financial leading strings during all that
time? The problem is insoluble To postpone 1t
for ak years is not to solve it. What Mr. Glad-
STONE has done is to take his bill and write
sbanl<rupt" across the face of it. That Is Its
eptaph. and it is we'll that the author Of the Dill
should also be the author of the epitaph
The first reception of Mr.. Gladstone's new pro-
posals by his own friends Is significant enough.
Ore of half dozen Irish leaders announces MS
revolt ofhand MIR. John Redmond is the mas
ter of nine votes in the House of Commons count
ing eighteen on division. II he stands 10 ms
nuns and refuses TO support bill thus financed,
Nor IL II likely that Mr. Redmonds example will
remain without infiuenc, on the anti-Parnellites.
When Mr. Redmond denounces an English scheme
"a unjust and humiliating to Ireland, Messrs
Sexton. Healy 4 Co. cannot easily accept it.
The Gladstonian organs in London receive II
with WY faceA One of them, trying hard to dis
cover merit, procaims il the greatest merit oi all
that il is only to last for six years Experience Is
TO determine how an Irish government can pay IT'S
way Another calls the scheme curious change
of front not likely 10 he received with enthusiasm
by either English or Irish. If it has an advantage
il il because listers guns are spiked. She can
not refuse TO pay Imperial taxes.
Then in burst of candOr, we are told fhat
the Irish controversy has four great branches
land, the judiciary and constabulary, educatioh'
and finance. Three Of the four were never IN the
Home Rule bill at all, and now the fourth is out.
Nothing vital is left for the Home Rule Parlla-
ment What in the world are we setting it up
for?n The new scheme will bind England at the
heels Of Ireland That readjustment of taxation
for which the English Radical camors would cut
into the heart of Irish finance, and probably de-
stroy the precarious balance Mr.. Gladstone offers
her The proposal "docs not strengthen the hold
of this Government on the sympathetic interests
Of the Democracy" Such is the comment OF Mr.
Gladstone's ablest friend in the London Press
Nowhere is the reception Of the finance clauses
favorable Mr. Gladstone's friends think they
have done their best for him when they suspend
their Judgment.
Meantime the fourth clause has dragged its
slew length through Committee, and nominally
stands part of the bill. Its ultimate form is not
yet settled The discussion during most OF the
week has turned points OF which Americans
have a practical knowledge The Unionists have
gone TO the school of the American Union and
the American Constitution They have sought IN
that weA-filled armory weapons for the defence Of
the loyal minority in Ireland. Mr.. Gladstone Will
have none of them. He has refused to adopt the
American safeguards. lie rejects the prohibitions
which the American States accept tie gives 10
Dublin the right to rass cx post facto laws, the
right to pass laws imparing the Obligation OF
Contracts the right to suspend the habeas corpus
This means that the Irish Nationalist i TO have
full power to crafty his thirst for vengeance on
the Irish Loyalist vengeance which Mr.. Dillon has
publicly threatened. A Legislature controlled by
men who have thrivcn on Outrage may punish
criminally the men who prevented crime includ- |
ing ailifs and police, who refused TO take part
in agrarian outrages. A Land League Legislature
is to deal il likes with contracts between land
lord and tenant Roman Catholic majority is to |
have power to put Ulstermcn in prison and keep !
tA6m there.
~We have had too much Of the American Con- |
stitution." cried Radical. Perhaps, but at |
least he cannot pcrsevere with the bypocrtical |
rretcncc that what Ireland wants is Amer Han |
Home Rule. 1t rejects American Home Rule.
Mr.. Gladstone. under Irish orders rejects It. What
is cool enough for the States OF the American
Union is not good enough for Ireland II is just
az we'll to have that fraud ont Of the WY.
Early In the week appeal WAS made 20 Mr..
Gladstone TO guarantee Trinity College against
spclation, and against transformation into a Ro-
nan Catholic university. lie refused. lie haas
,ver one of the noblest institutions Of learning in
The world to the priests We all know what they
will do with it.