The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1906-12-07
Relief For Erin In sight.

helleI FOR hF1n IN DAkhgs
When the British Liberals were
trimming sail to weather the storm of
parliamentary elections 1t was predict
ed by their opponents that they might
go so far In promising home rule to
Ireland as to meet with the fate of
Gladstone in his last and final defeat.
What Gladstone proposed to give the
Irish is what the Irish party insists
upon today. But the English Union
lists and Conservatives of today are
as violently hostile to the Gladstone
principle of home rule for Ireland as
their predecessors were when they
turned down the great leader and
buried the hopes of his life under a
mountain of ballots years ago. Numer-
Gus have been the conJectures made
before and since the late Liberal tri-
umph at the polls as to the nature of
the relief for Ireland the Campbell
Bannerman ministry would bring be-
fore parliament. Recently the London
Chronicle outlined what 1t asserts Will
be the government bill to be brought
forward Mt the next session OF parlia-
ment. No attempt will be made, the
Chronicle says, to interfere with Ire
lands present relations as part of the
British empire and the Irish members
of the parliament at Westminster will
retain their seats But the necessity
of bodies for the administration of To-
cal affairs as we have In America Is
recognized, and measures affecting Ire
land solely and having no relation to
the rest of the empire will be passed
upon at home. This Is the extent of
the home rule feature of the Liberal
bill and Is far short of that absolute
political home rule which Irish Nation
lists have long vehemently demanded
as the reward for their fealty to ma
tional parties.
The power which it is proposed by
the Liberals to grant Ireland over its
local affairs differs from that enjoyed
by the several states of our Union in
that the United States constitution
leaves to the states all the powers they
have not specifically yielded to the cen
trail government while England pro-
poses to dole out few privileges to
Ireland and reserve all the rest for
parliamentary control. The privileges
granted are mainly administrative, as
the management of finances, schools,
roads, etc, virtually about the same as
the Russian government yielded to the
zemstvos under the old regime. Not
only are foreign relations and all gen
eral laws to remain In the hands of
parliament, but the judges of the Irish
courts will be named from the seat of
imperial government.
Gladstone's plan was for council of
two chambers to legislate on irish To-
cal affairs. The Liberals propose a
simple chamber composed Of 14S mem
bers. In order to prevent the Nation
allsts from getting control by too large
a majority only 100 members will be
chosen by popular suffrage. The other
forty -eight will be chosen to represent
larger areas by a suffrage based on
property qualifications. Doubtless the
Nationalist will start out in council
with a good working majority but If
they show themselves too independent
to meet the views of the crown the
government will have chance to call
a new deal at the end of five years, for
the bill as vouched for by the Chroni-
Gle Is to be subject to revision or
amendment at the end of that period.
Great as is the advance foreshadowed
In this measure 1t will not satisfy the
Nationalists' aspirations for genuine
and thorough home rule as it existed
for time before the uprising of 179S.
--
Autos and Good Roads.