The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-16

that reaches almost to independence.
He has been able to buy and choose
and control just as it pleased him His
drafts on home resources at London
were readily accepted, and his plans
endorsed by the Horse Guards author
tiles without question. His Is indeed
case of the success Of successes. AS the
victorious sirdar he has gained the un-
limited confidence of the British people,
and the most lavish honors are in store
for him when ne returns to London.
Some day it will be written how
much of the astonishing and complete
success of Kitchener was due to his
complete disregard for that official red
and arms and legs of our American
officers at Tampa and Santiago as to
leave them almost powerless in the
face of the most cruel emergencies.
When parliament assemblies in jan
uary an attempt will be made by the
tory -unionjst perty to reduce the rep
resentation of Ireland in the house of
commons. Under the act of so-called
union. Ireland is entitled to 1903 repre-
seutatives. As it stands today the dele
gation from Ireland is made up of So
nationalists, or home rulers, and II
unionists, or anti-home rulers. This
number Of 103 is regarded by Mr.. Cham
berlain, Mr.. Baifour and the other
tory leaders as inconveniently large
They rest their objection on the ground
that the number OF members from Ire
land is disproportionate to the pupula-
ton, and it is not at all unlikely the
administration will endeavor to pass a
law readjusting the political divisions
Of the affectionately termed sister
country
The effort, if made, will meet with
stubborn resistance, and a battle royal
will be sure to mark the history of the
next session The opposition will not
be confined to the So nationalists. Their
II opposing colleagues will be with
them nearly to a man. For all Irish
men, Protestant and Catholic. nation
alist and anti-nationalist, are united on
the question Of the financial relations
Of Great Britain and Ireland. That
question will be one of the important
issues of the coming session Of parlia-
ment. It will be remembered, per-
baps. that the royal commission APP
pointed to Investigate the whole sub
iect and which included such financial
authorities as Lord Farrer, permanent
secretary to the treasury, Mr.. Childers,
ex-chancellor of the exchequer, the
O'Conor Don, Hon. Edward Blake, for
years the leader Of the liberal party in
the Canadian parliament, Thomas Sex
ton one Of the ablest men in Anglo
Irish public life, and other men equally
well known, reported to parliament af-
ter an exhaustive inquiry, that Ireland
had been taxed for imperial purposes
far beyond her due proportion Ac-
cording to these men, ireland was only
liable to pay a rate Of one-twentieth of
English taxation. while she was actu-
ally taxed to the amount of more than
one-twelfth In fact, the investiga-
lions Of this able commission, on which
sat but two Irish nationalists, led the
men composing 1t to the astounding
conclusion that for a great many years
past Ireland had been paying into the
imperial treasury some two and a half
millions of pounds sterling in excess Of
her Just and equitable share.
This important matter has brought
together union of Irishmen such as
has not been seen before in this coun-
try Religious and political dividing
lines have been entirely pushed aside.
and priests and parsons, landlords and
land leaguers, seem, on this question
at all events, to be of one united mind
and policy. The question now is. how
to deal with the difficulty The Eng
lish ministers, notably Mr.. Balfour and
Mr.. Chamberlain, are anxious to sheIve
the whole business. But the report of
their own commission is there. and be-
hind 1t stands the whole Irish nation
Joined in one grand union of protest.
What are the ministers TO do? Refund
the enormous over-taxation OF the last
half century. or. at the very least,