New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-17
OUTLINES IRISH BILL
DIR. O,BRIEN,S SETTLEMENT.
Success of Council WI Depend ON
Financial Arrdng ements.

London Feb. 16-In response to a request OF
The Associated Press. William O'Brien' mem
her of Parliament from Cork City. has outlined
the impending Irish measure by which the gov
erument purposes to meet the growing demands
for Irish home rule. The presentation OF this
bill is awaited with eager interest. but the exact
terms are kept secret by the government
However Mr. OBrien, while disclaiminG hav-
ing authoritative information, is exceptionally
qualified TO state the essential features of the
bill as he is one of the irish leaders foremost
in supporting a solution of the Irish question
along the lines or which the government is now
proceeding Mr. OBren wrote an explanation
of the proposed measure as means OF giving
Irlshmen in America information upon this vital
legislation in which they are interested. lie said;
I am not in a position to speak with any
authority of what the Irish devolution blll IS
likely to be There are, however, certain mes
upon which, without any inner knowledge, 1t
may be predicted with some confidence that any
minister is sure to travel if his bill IS 10 nave
any chance of being accepted by the representa-
tiveS of Ireland In the first place, II Is certain
that the bill will not he presented as a settle
ment OF the Irish claim for self-government, nut
only as a preliminary experiment Whatever
arrangements may be proposed as to the present
powers or constitution Of the Irish Councl, they
viii be provisional and VIII be lett open 10 en-
largement in a period of ten years at the utmost
or, as l hope and believe. five years. In the
second place the Kings speech may be taken as
defining the scope Of the councils functions
They will be administrative and financial. Ihat
is to say they viii embrace control or all the
administrative departments known at present
as Dublin Castle with the exception am
afraid. of the royal Irish constabulary and of
the judiciary and Will in addition, include the
spending although not the raising OF the
greater part of Irish taxation.
The omission of the word Legislative" from
the Kings speech tells its own history. Except
private bill legislation it is not likely that the
Irish bill will propose to intrust the council with
Legislative powers. 1t is probable, however. that
thn 1,fn rf1.a1 oQl 10 q
Irish Council to pass upon at least one stage of
all the Irish bills. Very likely the members Of
the government have not yet made up their
minds finally between the various suggestions
as to the constitution of the new body
One or two things, however. may be taken as
certain one is that the Irish representation IN
the imperial Parliament will remain at pres
ent. and another is that the whole 1O3 Irish
members Of the imperial Parliament will be
ipso facto members of the rev Irish Council
1t is certain thai steps viii be taken to give the
weather. Unionlst minority some special repre-
restricted franchise. 1t Is no less certain how
ever, that any such arrangement, while secur-
I INC duequ]Ne representation OF the minority,
viii leave the Irish Council Overwhelmingly
Nationalist in its composition.
The success or failure of the experiment will
depend mainly upon the financial arrangements.
1t may be taken for granted that the principle
first laid down in Mr. Wyndhams DEVELOPMENT
OF Ireland grant will be specifically recognized
VIZ. that any savings made in the present enOr-
nous cost Of the imperial establishments OF
police and the judiciary in Ireland shall become
as the Irish Council thinks fit. If the Council
is TO be success at least fl 100000 will have to
be placed at its disposal yearly, between the
savings and an allotted revenue to be expended
IN the development of the Country's resources.
Those who may be disappointed with the bill
VIII 90 well 70 remember that 1t Is not question
or now much the government is willing TO give
nut how much II IS possible for the government
10 carry into law. what with the opposition OF the
House or Lords and the election pledges OF its
own supporters That is a difficulty which once
more illustrates the blunder committed by the
dominant section OF the Irish party I'm shipwreck-
lns the almost exactly similar measure Mr.
w yndham was contemplating three years ago
The Tories could have induced the House OF
Lords TO accept without murmur a bill which
they VIII now almost certainly reject However
II even now the Irish party would set themselves
TO allayng instead Of iniaming. the apprehen-
slons OF EngNshmen and OF our Protestant coun-
trynen. II would be quite possibly to rally such
body Of support behind the bill as would dsaru
all dangerous opposition. II the experiment is
once tried and worked in a spirit OF moderation
and good sense an Irish Council Will Inevitably
and by universal consent expand into a full
blown Irish Parliament Otherwise we Will be
only wasting the session and pIoughng the
sands