The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-22
REFORMS FOR IRELAND.
Provisions of a Bill Submitted to the
House of Commons.

LONDON, Feb. 21.-The House of Com
mons was crowded to-day when the chief
secretary for Ireland, Gerald Balfour, in
troduced the Irish local government bill. In
so doing. Mr.. Balfour said he thought it
possible the new order of things would at
first seem to be a failure, but he believed
that it would work through failure, to the
success which would be the beginning Of
better and brighter days for Ireland. The
government Mr.. Balfour continued, pro-
poses that the local administration be dis
tributed between county councils urban and
rural district councils and boards of guar
dams, the election of which would be by
parliamentary franchise, with the addition
Of peers and women. The qualifications and
disqualifications for election as councillors
would be the same as in England, except
that ministers of religion would be dis
qualified from sitting in the county or dis
trict council, the government acting therein
in accordance with precedents.
For the sake of convenience Mr.. Balfour
further explained, the boundaries of the ex-
listing 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 in
clude criminal jurisdiction or questions of
compensation for malicious injuries Irish
"Ohs!) The elections for county and dis
trict councils would be triennial and all
would retire together. The county councils
would be the sole rate-collecting authority
and would control the expenditures. They
would also be responsible for dealing with
exceptional distress and would decide when
the requests Of boards of guardians for out
door relief should be granted. Dublin, Bel
fast Cork Limerick, Londonderry and
Waterford would be constituted independent
county councils. The county would be re-
sponsible for half the extra expenditures.
Mr.. Balfour also pointed out that the bill
provided that the occupier was liable to
both the county cess and poor rate, whether
in a town or rural district, which would
involve a readjustment of rents, an equal
sum to be granted from the imperial ex-
chequer as an agricultural grant Mr. Bal
four said he thought the bill was based
upon broad democratic lines, adding that if
extravagances occurred those responsible
for them would bear the burden, while they
would reap the benefits of any economy.
John Morley chief secretary for IRELAND
in the late Liberal administration, well
coined the bill as being genuine demo-
cratic effort"
Mr. Dillon, chairman of the Irish parlia-
mentary party, said he thought the meas
ure was an immense advance over the bill
of 1892. and fulfilled the promise of the gov
eminent, but, he claimed, 1t was not equal
to the English and Scotch measures He
pointed out that the control Of the police
was not given to the councils. Neverthe-
less, he added, the bill would do much good,
and his party would endeavor to execute it
in good faith.
John Redmond, the Parnellite leader. also
welcomed the BILL but he criticised some
points of the measure. He added that IL It
works successfully it would be an IMAM
swerable argument in favor of home rule.
Col. Edward J. Saunderson. Conservative
member for North Armagh, said d majority
of the landlords recognized the necessity OF
the measure, which, he added, offered an
opportunity for all classes of Irlshmen 10
unite for common purpose.
Timothy Healy, Irish Nationalist, praised
the bill. and Michael Dayitt. Irish Nation