The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-07-26
A VERY EXCITING SCENE.
British Government Denounced for
Trucking TO the NatiOnaliStS.
MR.. GLADSTONE'S WARM ATTACK.
lie RoundIy Scores Chambe rIain's Atti-
tude- Reproaches Him for His Con-
duet and Critics His Assum ption o I
Insallibiiity- -Balfour's Rejolnder.

LONDON, July 26-In the house Of COM
mons last night Joseph Chamberlain,
leader OF the Liberal Unionists, moved to
make permanent the provisional arrange
ment that Irish taxes should be collected
for six years by the imperial government.
In speaking to his motion, Mr. Cham
berlain denounced the government for
trucking to the Nationalists. These
gentlemen, he said, would be masters Of
the situation after six years, and would be
,ble to do pretty much as they pleased.
The Irish government would then con-
duct Ireland's finances so as to give good
pretext for wringing still more favorable
terms from the imperial government.
The financial plan as now presented by
travagant administration under the Irish
legislature.
The house filled rapidly during the
Chamberlain speech, as it was known Mr..
Gladstone would reply at length. When
the premier rose few seats were vacant.
Mr. Gladstone began by comparing Mr..
Chamberlain's attitude with the proverbial
Attitude Of the Devils Advocate.
whose function 1t was, he said, to seize
eagerly on every human falling, and to
misconstrue everything capable Of mis-
construction.
After repelling the charge that the Brit
ish might eventually do as they pleased
under the provisions of the bill, the pre-.
mier turned toward Mr. Chamberlain, and
IL n voice of anger and indignation. said:
"The right honorable gentleman has
brought into public life the mischievous
practice of continually and deliberately,
with the utmost confidence in his own in
fallibility, ascribing to men who have the
right TO stand on the same level with him.
who were at one time his colleagues and
supposed to be bis friends, motives for
their acts which they Indignantly dis
claim.
by What Gift Of Infaliibility
Is the right honorable gentleman enabled
to pronounce on the state Of things In Ire
land six years hence? The Irish members
in the house now number 103, yet nobody
will contend that they are omnipotent.
They will return in diminished numbers
after the passage of the bill, yet we hear
the argument that they will prevail
against 500 English and Scotch members
After describing Mr.. Chamberlain's ex-
aggcration of facts as gross and habit
-aal, Mr. Gladstone closed his speech with
the declaration that the government felt
satisfied that their proposals would meet
the approval Of tho taxpayers of the coun-
try. As soon as the cheering and counter
cheering subsidized, Mr.. Balfour rose to the
defense Of Mr.. Chamberlain and his speech.
Not another man in the house, he said,
would have been permitted to diverge
from the subject as the premier had done
The term settled, In reference to the pro-
visions of the bill, was hardly appropriate.
The normal course in the house was TO
debate aud divide on a measure.
The prime minister had seen 1T, how
ever, to omit the first of those processes.
The Offices of devils advocate" to
which the prime minister had referred was
performed only in relation to the defunct.
Did the prime minister wish the house to
understand that the home rule bill was
defuncti II so, Mr. Balfour said in con-
clusion. he himself was quite ready TO
take any part its authors desired in its
canonization.