The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-01-09
ARLlAMENT'S SESSION.

hxpecteu-Homc iSWle Dy NO Meah'
Dead-IncquaIitics OF Parliamentary
Representation-Qu Like Connect.
lieut. English Agriculture in IA Bad
Way-Tho Condition of Parties.
London, Jan. /.
10 the Editor of the Journal and Courier
1t is now only a few days until parll-
ament win meet and everybody IS
Specializing as to what this session of
the coronation year is likely to bring
forth. There is a general expectation
j that it's proceedings will be marked by
an unusual number of scenes and sem
sations. Great interest attaches to the
new member for Galway. Ireland has
repeatedly elected to parliament men
who were in gaol. In the present IN
stance she adds spice of a different kind
to the parliamentary pudding by re-
turning gentleman whose residence Is
in France and who but recently was in
South Africa leading a regiment OF
Beers against the British. Whether
Colonel Lynch will think it safe to take
his seat is the first point of interest,
should is the second.
II In the coming session the Nationalist
may be expected to make things live
lier than ever. Irish affairs have not
looked so threatening for many years
Some of the old plans of campaign have
been revived and against prominent ag-
gressors the law has been put in mo-
ton. What kind of a conflagration Will
be kindled by these ominous sparks no.
body can tell This is why there has
been an indefinite postponement OF the
promised visit of the king and queen.
ut Is also one of the reasons why every
body anticipates a lively session OF par
liament. Since the close OF the last
session the Irish Natonalists have had
an exasperating time OF it. They nave
had to bear most of the blame for the
shameful barrenness of that session.
Great measures impended, but there
was no time to deal with them In two
respects the last session was a record
breaker. No less than 6,44S questions
were asked in the House of Commons,
and the divisions numbered 49, where
as in the previous session the tedious
process of dividing the house was re-
sorted to only 2S8 times. Here was an
enormous waste of time and 1t is the
Irish who are chiefly blamed for 1t.
But these irrepressible patriots from
The Emerald Isle are used to being
blamed. In fact they rather like It, ana
far from taking up any less time IN
questions and divisions at the new ses-
sion, they will take up more, II they get
the chance. More bitter than ever, too,
will be their antipathy toward Mr. Bal
-four and Mr.. Chamberlain, for these
gentlemen during the recess threatened
ireland with parliamentary retribution
The possibility of having their number
reduced has long been hanging like a
sword of Damocles over the heads OF
These Irish obstructionists. SO long had
they been familiar with this, as pos
sibiiity, that they had lost all fear of it.
but few months ago Balfour ana
chamberlain took out the government
shears and announced that presently
they would cut the thread holding UP
this sword and let it fall. In other
words, they would by measure OF
redistribution, seriously reduce Ire
lands representation in the House of
Commons,
Such threats do not make for peace |
where the Irish are concerned, and still |
another fact which must have had an
exasperating effect is that Home rule |
has of late been definitely repudiated |
INV so many influential liberals. This !
cause never had any friends amongst |
conservatives, and as for the unionists, |
everybody is aware that opposition to |
home rule for ireland is what alienated |
these from Mr.. Gladstone and gave |
them their new name, The only Eng |
Iish hope for Irish separation has been |
iii the liberal party, and now even that |
party has cut loose from the cause.
Home rule has ceased to figure in libe-
raj programmes, and such leading libe
rails as Lord Rosebery, Mr.. Asquith
and Sir Edward Grey scout the notion
that measure which Mr.. Gladstone
was once so hopeful of passing, will
EVER again be seriously considered by
any responsible statesmen or by any
party not hopelessly out of power. So
chat the Irish contingent will face par
lament this year with less to encour-
age and more to eXasperate 1t than
ever, the consequence beingthat some
stormy times may be expected. Home
rule is supposed to be dead, but it will
prove lively corpse when the parlia~
lnent wake is held.
Everybody is aware of the inequali-
ties which mark parliamentary repre-
sentation in this country. If the House
of Commons, as now constituted in
point of numbers, were to be made pro-
representative, England
would have 499 members instead Of 465;
Wales would retain it's present tale of
thirty Seats Scotland would have six
ty-nine instead of seventy-two and the
Irish members would be reduced in
humber from 1903 to seventytwo, That
England should have thrtyfour too
few seats while Ireland has thirty-one
too many, looks very queer from the
English point of view, and to scan the
situation more closely does not show it
In any better light. In the Romford
division of Essex 33,556 electors return
3ne member to parliament and one
,nly. while Colonel Lynch, should he
AXE his seat for Galway ireland, will
a division containing only ;
J, 200 electors, and there is still another .
irish constituency which will have the
same parliamentary representation as :
Romford, with its SO, $50 electors, al
hough the full vote in it barely eX- /
,eeds 1.S00 To put the contrast in an