The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-07-23


Tor of the exchequer, among other things,
said that the opposition could have still
another inquiry, and he made poor at
tempt in replying to the facts and figures
submitted by the Irish members.
Perhaps the ablest and most convinc-
ing argument made on the Irish side
was by Hon. Edward Blake, the distin-
gulshed Canadian statesman, who is un-
selfishly devoting his great talents to
the cause of oppressed Ireland. In the
course of his mastery address he said:
Restitution was what was required
The chancellor of the exchequer had
suggested that the Irish members should
reconsider their views as to the royal
| commission. He told them that exemp-
| ton and attachments were absolutely
! impossible. and then he asked them to
| consent to a commission which should
| inquire whether the present eircum-
stances and the character of the present
| taxation disclosed any ground for put
ting IN force exemptions and abate-
! ments. What, then, was the use of a
| commission, when he had already de-
cided the question for himself, for his
party. for the house, and in it's present
temper, for the country? The case for
Ireland rested not upon the novel and
absurd suggestion for the division and
cutting up of accounts, but upon the
! simple proposition that Ireland was ell
titled in equity according to justice, to
/ be taxed in some relation to her taxable
capacity, and that she was enormously
overtaNed at present, and therefore in
| some way relief should be given. Upon
those propositions they took their stand.
II they failed, they would have to show
once again what had so often been shown
before, that effort to gain justice from
that parliament was hopeless (Cheers.)
| Sir Edward Clarke made a forcible
plea for justice to Ireland in the matter
| OIL taxation. He turned the tables on
Sir Michael Hicks-Beach very adroitly,
| and created much laughter by saying:
The fallacy of the right honorable gen.
tleman, the chancellor of the eXche-
quer's argument, was perhaps best ex-
posed by following it to a logical con-
clusion, which was this-that if the
royal Irish constabulary were, even for
some imperial reason, doubled, Ireland
would, according to the chancellor of the
exchequer, be contributing nothing
whatever to the imperial exchequer."
lie went on to say that he trusted the
leader of the house would at least ex-
press more sympathy with the demands
OF the people of Ireland than had been
shown by the chancellor of the ex-
chequer, for it was cruel, when griev-
ance had been proved, to fout those
suffering and to tell them that they had
no grievance.
A. j. Balfour summed up on behalf of
the government, and in the course of his
speech said: HE did not for moment
suggest that Ireland was not a proper
subject for generous financial treatment
| (hear, hear). He had stated that Eng
lands treatment of Ireland long before
the union was scandalously selfsh-that
some reparation might we'll be thought
due to that country. The treatment of
ireland by successive Wing governments
(laughter), in the last century in the in
terests of the English manufacturer was
a very dark plot in the history of the
two countries, but that had no relation
to the union, and none to the grievance
urged in this debate. He had always
held that Ireland was a part of the
United Kingdom which for historic rea-
sons, and because of her present depres-
sion, not due to English legislation had
special claim to English generosity
| (Hear, hear) Unionist governments
had given millions Of money for the ben
eft OF Ireland, because of it's poverty.
If any plan for the amelioration of the
condition of Ireland, for the promotion
| of its industries. for diminution of it's
distress, for the prevention of the chron-
| ic distress of the west could be formu-
lated, he and his colleagues would be
pleased to give it their support. Min
isterial cheers.) Let the question be
put not upon nice arithmetcal calcula-
tions, but upon broader. more rational,
and more defensible grounds Cheers
| t. M. Healy made vigorous speech,
and said in part: The Irish people
would be quite willing to make an i'm
perial contribution proportionate to
their physical ability, and calculated by
an independent tribunal. (Hear, hear)
They were not to have their case meta
| case founded on a solemn covenant-by
| pettifoggng argument. Two hundred
years ago England broke the treaty of
Limerick. and afterwards they broke the
act of union. This was great constitu-
! tional question, and until it received due
satisfaction so long would Irishmen be
entitled to claim that not only were their
rulers tyrants, but ge-breakers. =
Urish cheers)
Not one Of the government speakers
denied the accuracy of the report of the
royal commission, which showed that
Ireland is overtaxed about $4,000, 900 a
year. What the government should do
is to stop the financial robbery and
make restitution at once. If it does not
do so. the Irish should keep up the agi-
tation both in and out of parliament