The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-06

IRISH TAXATION,
Personnel ofthe Commission
to Investigate the
Abuses Strongly
Unienist.
.DILLON'S LATE OPPOSITION
Examination of the West India
Sugar Industry England
and Bimetalism.

late in the field with his opposition to the
appointment of new commission to
examine into the financial relations exist
ing between Great Britain and Ireland.
II an amendment regarding the subject
had been moved to the address in reply
to the Queens speech the debate must
have ELECTED from the government some
idea of their intentions as to the scope
of the commission and it's probable COM
position. The Opposition would thus have
obtained some information enabling them
to take a definite line of attack against
the governments proposals. AS it is,
the scheme of the Cabinet has been al
lowed to be matured in the dark, and its
discussion has only been accorded when
the government could not help it, that
is, on the Cabinets proposals being
placed before the House of Commons.
There was something simple to the
verge Of folly in Mr.. Dillon's asking Mr.
Balfour, the Government leader In the
House, whether he would permit the
House to discuss the whole subject be-
fore the actual appointment of the Com
mission. Mr.. Balfour had no power to
prevent discussion, and. therefore, gave
was ever put to a Minister. The scope
of the reference has been prepared by
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach, Chancellor of
the Exchequer; the Hon. George J..
Goschen, First Lord of the Admiralty
the Right Hon. r. w. Hanbury, one of
the joint Secretaries of the Treasury, and
Sir +. Mowatt, Permanent Secretary of
the Treasury. The commission will be
empowered to deal with much wider
range of inquiry than was the commits
sion Of 1898. Its inquiry will certainly
last more than two years, as was orig
inally announced in this correspondence,
and before the final report can be made
to the House, the Government will be
prepared to connect the commissions 8
finding with the copestone of their Irish
policy-the local government of Ireland
bill and the redistribution of seats bill,
the latter of which will deprive Ireland
of some thirty seats in the Imperial Par
Lament.
The personnel of the commission is, of
course, largely Unionist. with some fnan-
cial experts whom the Conservative pa
pers may call independent and impartial,
but who are of the Sir David Barbour
ASS0AASSSNNA
David, who was a member of the last
commission. differed from a majority of
his colleagues in contending that if there
was a grievance in Irish taxation it
was due to the fact that the indirect tax
alton upon the articles of common con-
sumption fell more heavily ON the poor
than on the rich. a grievance which they
shared with the poorer classes of Great
odr g. ~,
tended to nave only seven members con-
stitute the commission. Urgent represen-
tations from the Irish landlords, from the
great brewers and other interests will in
duce them to enlarge the membership.
The brewers, who have great influence
among the Unionists, and contribute
largely to the party purse, fear that
the suggested increase in the duty on
beer to balance a possible reduction in
the duty on whiskey may find support in
the commission. If beer was taxed ac-
cording to its pdrit value the duty instead
of being as at present 2 Nd. per gallon
would be about Is. I'D The Irish conten-
ton is that beer IS unduly favored.
Equalization would be severe blow to
the brewing interests and to the English
beer drinkers but would be a questionable
boon to the Irish whiskey drinkers.
Sir B. w. Norman, Sir Edward Grew.
Sir David Barbour and DR.. Morris. the
members of the commission appointed to
examine into the British West India
sugar industry, will finish their inquiry
at Jamaica, instead of beginning 1t there
as was at first intended Mr.. Neville
Lubbock, as the representative of the
west India Association, will visit
Demerara and other sugar producing ISL
ands to arrange with the planters for
the best presentation of their claims to
the commission
The effect of Senator Wolcott's mission
IN the interests of bimetallism will only
pc known after his return to Washing
ton from Europe. The active bimetallists
IN Parliament whom Mr.. Wolcott has
seen hold that the initiative for a new
international conference should be taken
by the United States Government and
that the conference should meet in WASH
ington. The leaders of the British Ri
metallic Union have been in communica-
ton with the chiefs of the Germap
league who would approve of initial
American action. The British Govern
ment would undoubtedly send representa-
'tives to Washington. The idea of a fresh
conference at Brussels finds no favor in
Englash monetary circles The last con-
ference held there was ''botched." 1t is
feared that if another were held there ii
would have precedent in futility which
would not pertain to a Washington con-
ference.
The negotiations between the govern
ment and the Roman Catholic Bishons
or ireland for the creation of a Catholic
University are on the verge of settle
ment. The foundation and endowment
oI university will involve a grant from
0C0 sterling. The bargain is not finally
erected, but there is reason to believe
that Catholic University bill will be in
troduced next session. Recent cable de-
spatches to the United Associated Presses
explain the existing quiescent attitude of
tions question as being influenced by the
inside negotiations regarding a univer-
Sitv.
The Dillon-Healy squabbles continue to
excite the contempt of Conservatives and
Liberals alike. The balance of opinion
Mr.. Blake and Mr.. Davitt as having in
dscreetly handled the Healyite trouble.
especially as regards the resolution touch
ing the payment of poor members of the
party. Mere onlookers, whose sympa-
thies are with Ireland and home rule.
these brawls at time when the whole
irish fighting force should be concen-
trated on forcing the financial question
towards satisfactory solution No effec-
tive combination Of the Irish Landlord