Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-20
1HE IRISH CRIMES ACT.

Not often In recent years have such
scenes been witnessed in the British
house OF commons as occurred there
Thursday.
The Irish members, through Mr.. Pat
rick o'Brien. who was acting as their
leader on the occasion, asked that at
least one day between now and Christ
mas be devoted TO the discussion Of "the
serious state OF AFFAIRS in ireland.
The reply OF the prime minister TO this
very proper request was irritating and
actually insulting to Mr.. o'Rrien and ev-
cry other member Of the Irish party in
! the house. II was that IF the request for
such an opportunity came from the liberal
leaders, the government would grant IL,
but they could not notice Il from the Irish
party"
There was no justification for either
the substance or the manner OF this re-
bun. Il aroused the Irish members to
wrath and caused some OF them 20 IN
dulge in exhibitions Of violence from
which they should have restrained them
selves. At one time II seemed that Mr..
o'Donnen was about to make a physical
assault upon Mr.. Balfour.
Fortunately he did not so TO this ex-
tent and It is not likely that such a storm
Of passion win sweep over the house
again very soon.
Recently there has been a deplorable
frequency OF disturbances in Ireland and
the coercion act, which. 1t was hoped
had fallen into a state Of permanent
desuetude. has been put into operation on
a number of occasions.
This legislation differs from former Irish
crimes acts in that Il is a permanent stat
ute ready for application whenever a min
istry should deem this advisable, and ow-
ing to recent developments a review Of
its leading features is interesting at this
time.
The act is applied by the lord lieutenant
to any disturbed area, which is then sub
jected to kind of judicial procedure that
is not tolerated by the ordinary law. For
example, a resident magistrate may start
an inquiry as to offenses under the act
upon the order Of the attorney general,
though no one is accused before him. IL
he thinks a person has knowledge Of the
matter that he Is investigating he may
summon him as a witness and examine
him under oath. Furthermore. any per-
son may be prosecuted before a court OF
summary Jurisdiction for riot, intimida-
ton and conspiracy such as grow out Of
the usual disputes between the contend
ing classes in the country. Special juries
may be ordered also by the high court on
the application Of the attorney general,and
on the same initiative trials may be trans
ferred from the proclaimed district to a
court IN another neighborhood.
The act Is directed especially against as
sociations. The lord lieutenant Of Ireland
may, az his discretion. declare them un-
lawful. and make II a punishable offense
70 participate IN their meetings.
In such cases summary proceedings
against the accused are authorized. This
law tramples upon the principles Of civil
liberty and II is not strange that its re-
cent enforcement has aroused indignation
and resistance on the part of the irish
people.
The Irish members and their sympa-
thizers had hoped that they could procure
some action at the present session Of par
lament 20 relieve the situation and allay
the troubles that are becoming more Sc
rious every day. but IL was made plain
Thursday that there is little prospect Of
accomplishing such a result.
The Balfour government seems deter
mined to enforce the Grimes act as rigor-
ously as possible and in a way that win
surely increase disorders I'm Ireland.