The Irish standard., 1907-05-11


the plan, although in the beginning he
eloquently contrasted his position with
that of MI. Gladstone in presenting
home rule, calling his task more
humble one and more commensurate
with his position and powers.
Mr.. Birrell rose to an oratorical
height when he described the present
system of administration. He called
Dublin castle failure, saying:
There it stands, remote. without a
friend, and melancholy. while the cur
rent of Irish life sweeps past
No governor had entered, he contin-
ued, "the gloomy portals of Dublin
castle without a sinking of the heart
almost equivalent to abandoning hope"
Parnell had said that one way to
govern Ireland was to send a, man
there to hold the balance of all power
and administer the country in a spirit
of courage and independence, but the
government had no such man in it's
eye.
Il would rather write the biography
of a deceased autocrat" Mr. Birrell
said, than live under his rule. Such
men do not make good history
With all its shortcomings. an elective
body would be educational and teach
the Irish people self-respect Nobody,
said Mr.. Birrell, believed that the pres
ent system of the administration of
! Ireland was sound in principle or
, economical. 1t had been switched off
from the great current of the national
life of the people. Under the proposed
new scheme the Irish members of par
lament would continue to sit at West
minister in undiminished numbers, but
ne hoped to find hereafter more
profitable channel for their inquisitive-
ness in managing local affairs at home.
1t was the intention of the bill to es-
tablish representative administrative
council consisting of 80 elected and
"a nominated members, the latter to be
nominated the first year by the king
and thereafter by the lord lieutenant
Of Ireland.
Elected members would be elected
on the local government board fran
chise. The under secretary to the
lord lieutenant would be ex-of1cio
member Of the council, which would
have complete control of the powers
vested in the departments to be hand
ed over to its care. The president Of
the council would be appointed by the
council itself, and the chief secretary
would have the right to attend the
meetings. If the existing officers of the
| departments were elected by the coun-
ellis they must be given full pensions.
Exercise of the powers vested in the
departments would be controlled by
reasons of the council. and the suprem-
acy Of the imperial parliament would
be safeguarded by the power given to
the lord lieutenant to reserve his con-
sent to any results of the council and
eight departments, which would be
made subject to the new council,
The departments coming under tho
control Of the proposed Irish council
would be the local government board,
department Of agriculture, congested
districts board, commissioners Of pub
lie works, national education and in
termediate education. inspectors of the
reformatory and industrial schools and
the registrar general.
The supreme court judiciature, royal
Irish constabulatory, Dublin metropol-
itan police. the land commission and
the prisons board would remain under
the control Of the imperial authorities.
Mr.. Birrell went on to explain that
the council being elected by a. local
government board franchise, peers and
women could vote. The constituencies
roughly. would be the same as those