The San Francisco call., 1898-07-24

parties Is not very likely to be so con- ducted as to bring trouble and inconven- fence to the Government. Yet, as l said myself in the debate with which I have been dealing, trouble and inconvenience are the only arguments which England will expect when she is asked to stop fObbing Irish money
 After I had heard the speeches of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Sir William Harcourt 1 stated that if the irish were in a position to send an Ad- mlral Dewey or an Admiral Sampson to do for London and some other British ports what those officers had done at Ma nlla and Santiago the exact meaning of the act of union of 1900 would become plain to the meanest British intelligence, but not otherwise; and l added that if the Irish organization in charge of the financial relations movement instead of issuing pamphlets and leaflets convert cd llSelt into a committee to discover means Tor cheating the revenue, benef- cial practical results might be attained before long, but not otherwise. Of Course, this expression of opinion has awakened some indignation, but all the same I be- ueVe that l spoke only the naked truth.
 AS soon as the debate on the Irish finan- S SiaI grievance was over the House of commons entered on consideration of LLne9 provisions of the local government IGI, DliI, as amended in committee. In par Hamentary language this is known as the report state, and will probably last till me close Of next week The matters so Tar discussed are not of much impOrtance ana, indeed, the same remark applies to what remains to be discussed. One of the new subjects brought up was in a new cIauSe proposed by myself and will per maps De or moment to persons interested m theaters and the drama. Up to 17S6 there prevailed in Ireland contrary to the custom in England. absolute free trade in tneaters. Any one could set up a theater anywhere in Ireland and play anything ne liked In 1t. In the year referred to- however: some insult was offered in Dublin theater to the Lord Lieutenant of the day. and in consequence an act was passed for Dublin city and county by the Irlsh Parliament prohibiting the per I9rInance Of any stage plays except in places licensed by patents from the crown. Since then that law has remained unaltered, and under it there have always existed in Dublin two or three theaters, and 1t is Illegal for persons to perform play of any kind. even for the purpose or helping clarity. except in the thea ters to which I have referred I sought the new Dublin County Council (which is to bel merely the power to give occa- sional licenses for the performance of stage plays which has been possessed in England by the local authorities for over half a century. The Government cOmpro- missed the matter by cOnsenting to confer that power on the Lord Lieutenant, and this arrangement will. of course, effect the purpose I had Tn view, which was to in town halls and such places by anna teurS for purposes of charity or amuSe- ment. The ludcrous results of the pres ent law may be illustrated by a single instance A few years ago one James McNally, who organized a pantomime in the Dublin Mechanics Institute and had 1t played for about a month, was actu- ally sued by the Government for the full penalty he had incurred under the old act of 17S6, namely, 300 pounds sterling for each performance, or over 810.00) in all! McNally. of course dlu not defend the action. and judgment was obtained: but the sequel. as told bv the Attorney Gen eral for Ireland the other night, was rather humorous MCNally, it appears. went to Dublin Castle interviewed the Crown Solicitor. told him that though he was a taxpayer, he possessed no visible means. and solemnly cautioned that for money by any further attempt to extract from him what he had not gOt-advice, added the Attorney General amid the general laughter of the House of Com mons which was followed by the Castle .r,