New-York tribune., 1894-04-08

and twice have seen their majorities fall to
eighteen and fifteen. None of the proceedings in
the House have much enhanced the Ministerial
nrestiee The question whether Scotland ought
10 have a Grand Committee for Scottish affaars
is not one which deeply agitates the universe OF
even the kingdom. 1t Is. nevertheless, one Oh
very considerable importance. 1t was supposed
TO raise obscurey the question of Home kuie Tot
Scotland. This committee was TO be step II
certainly raised the question why II Scotland had
such a committee Ireland and England shouiu
not also have one. The theory Is tnat scotch
business is neglected and that scotchmen ought
10 settle 1t among themselves
Sir George Trevelyan introduced the resolution.
treating il as rather a slight matter which, now
ever would tend to facilitate the transaction OIL
the general business OF the House Not 50, re-
piled Mr.. Balfour 1t is a change which re-
voutionzes the practice and procedure OF the
House It involves principles of wide-reaching
import, and involves England and Ireland for
whom even this Ministry would not dare make
similar proposal. And Mr.. Balfour moved an
amendment that the whole subject ought to be
considered together His speech. which embodied
81 challenge remained unanswered. No Cabinet
Minister on that or the next night rose to reply
The Leader Of the House absent, The de-
bate was left to second and third rate men. The
Opposition protested. Lord George Hamilton said
the conduct Of the Ministry was an outrage on
, the decences Of debate. Mr. Campbell Banner
man replied that Lord George was conceited'
Mr.. Morley said 1t the noble lord who was
guilty of the outrage Mr.. Balfour retorted that
Mr.. Morley had lost his temper, and renewed the
complaint that he and the Opposition generally
were treated with dscourtesy. This Is what IS
called scene and here 1t was that ON two sue
cessive motions for adjournment the Liberal
whips could muster majorites of more than
eighteen and then fifteen.
The state of affairs and the pressure Of busi-
ness are serious enough to have engaged the at
tent.on of a Cabinet Council. The result is seen
in a notice Of motion for Monday to take
nearly the whole time of the House for Govern
ment business To justify this the party organ
raises the familiar cry of obstruction. and the
motion is to be treated as a vote of confidence.
The Radicals some of whom think their private
crotchets of more consequence than budgets OF
the gravest public questions, threaten TO oppose
Sir William Harcourt They will probably be
reduced to submission. But the irrepressibe MI
Daziel has a motion down for Tuesday week
against the House of Lords This will be stiied
II Sir William carries his motion, and there Is
talk of a conQbination between Radicals and
Tories to reserve Tuesdays. which Sir William
will oppose. There is. therefore. a good prospect
of a lively week and perhaps Of several lively
weeks.
1t is thought possible. that the Scotch Grand
Committee and Sir George Trevelyan may be al
lowed to disappear silently from public view. II
was in the midst of the debate on a Scotch Grahd
Committee that debate occurred on Scotch
Home Rule. 1t deserved American attention as
a typical instance Of the way in which the grav-
est constitutional issues are handled by The Rad-
Gals and by the House Of Commons itself when
the Radicals get the bit between thslr teeth
The motion was made by private member a
Young Scot not yet in the thirties. with less
than two years experience of Parliament 1t
was a motion in the form of a resolution to the
effect that legislature ought be set up in Scot
land. surely momentous proposal. 1t was sup
norted by Mr. Dalziel himself seconded by an
other private member, Mr.. Brrell. known as
writer of cheerful little essays on literary sub
iects and discussed by three other private mem
bers. Then, to the amazement or the House Sir
George Trevelyan. who the night before had pre-
sented himself as the responsible Ministerial au-
thor of totally different scheme for facilitating
legislation for Scotland, rose and said that as
private member he approved this resolution. Mr..
Balfour answered him in a contemptuous speech
too contemptuous and too confident In the sense
of the House. Then came the division, ana the
Home Rule for Scotland resolution was carried
In a House half full by majority of ten
The proceedings began at half-past 3 In the
evening and ended at half-past H. Two hours
sufficed this branch of the Legislature, which is
so impatient Of any check or veto elsewhere. for
declaring its readiness to overthrow the existing
legislative constitution Of these kingdoms. and
substitute another constitution based on a
totally different conception of the relations
of the different parts of the United Kingdom to
each other Yet If in the presence of such per-
formance you venture to think some sort OF
second chamber may stll be- useful, or II you
mention the existence OF the American Senate,
you are Tory. In this country to be an Ameri-
can or TO take an American view OF constitu-
tional questions Is 10 be Tory
1t would not be fair to hold the great body OF