Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-02-22
LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
Scheme Therefor in Ireland as
Evolved from Conservative
Gray Matter"
POINTS GIVEN TO THE COMMONS.

Gerald Ealfour Explains It's Provisions and
ccss-Irish Members Make n Few Criti-
cssms, but Receive the Measure with APP
proval on the Whole-Libcral Leader
Declares 1t a Good Thing.
London, Feb. 22.-The house Of con-
mons was crowded yesterday when the
chief secretary for Ireland. Gerald Bal
four, introduced the Irish local govern
ment bill. In so doing Balfour said he
thought it possible the new order of
things would at first seem to be a fail
ure, but he believed it would work
through failure TO success, which would
be the beginning of better and brighter
days for Ireland. The government, Bal
four continued, proposed that the local
administration be distributed between
county counoi.s, u-tan and rural district
councils, and boards of guardians. the
election of which would be by parliament
airy franchise with the addition of peers
and women. The qualifications and dis
qualifications for election OF the council
lors would be the same as in England, ey-
cert that ministers Of religion would
be disqualified from sitting in the coun-
~ or district council, the government
acting therein in accordance with pre-
cedents.
Point the Irish Did Not Approve.
For the sake of convenience the bound
aries of the existing unions and also of
the counties would be modified, and the
county councils would take over the
duties of grand juries, but only in fiscal
matters. and would not include criminal
jurisdiction or questions of conpensa-
ton for malicious injuries. Qrish
"Oh's.'o The elections for country and
district councils would be triennial, and
all would retire together. The county
councils wCSlld be the sole rate-collect-
ing authority and would control the
expenditures. They would also he re-
sponsible for dealings with exceptional
distress. and would decide when the re-
quests of boards OF guardians for out
door relief should he granted. Dublin,
Belfast, Cork, Limerick. Londonderry
and Waterford would tie constituted in
dependent country councils. The coun-
~ would be responsible for half the
extra expenditure. Balfour also pointed
out that the bill provided that the oc-
curier was liable to both the county
cess and poor rate, whether in a town
or rural district, which would involve a
REIMBURSEMENT of rents. an equal sum
TO be granted from the imperial ex-
chequer as an agricultural grant Bal
nj he hAt III h. Z. 81
upon broad, democratic lines.
Opposition Expresses It's Views.
John Morley. chief secretary for Ire
land in the late Liberal administration.
welcomed the bill as being IA genuine
democratic effort" Dillon, chairman of
the Irish Parliamentary party. said he
thought the measure was an immense
advance over the bill of 1892 and full
filled the promise of the government;
but he claimed that it was not equal to
the English and Scotch measures. He
pointed out that the control of the po-
lice was not given to the councils. John
Redmond, the Parnelite leader. also
welcomed the bill. but he criticised some
points of the measure.
Colonel Edward J. Saunderson, Con-
sentative, said a majority of the land
lords recognized the necessity of the
measure which, he added. offered an OPP
portunity for all classes of Ir.shmen to
unite for n common purpose. Timothy
Davitt, Irish Nationalist threatened op-
position to that part of the bill promis-
ing relief to the landlords in the shape
of an agricultural grant.
The bill eventually passed it's first
reading.