Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-17
PLANNED FOR IRELAND
Outline of Measure to Be Put
Before Parliament
EXPLAINED BY Mr.. O'BRIEN
Member From Cork Discusses Home
Rule Legislation.
AN EXPERIMENT TO BE TRIED
What the British Government Pur-
poses to Meet Growing Demand
Kings Speech Significant.
EXPLAINED BY Mr.. O'BRIEN
AN EXPERIMENT TO BE TRIED

request of the Associated Press William
O'Brien. the member of parliament from
Cork City, has outlined the impending Irish
measure by which the government proposes
| to meet the growing demands for Irish
home-rule. The presentation of this bill Is
awaited with eager interest but exact
terms continue to be surrounded by gov
eminent secrecy. However, Mr.. OBrien,
| while disclaiming authoritative information,
| is exceptionally qualified to state the es-
sential features of the bill, as he is one
of the Irish leaders foremost in supporting
solution of the Irish question along the
lines on which the government is now
proceeding. Mr.. OBrien wrote an ex-
PLANTATION of the proposed measure as a
means of giving Irishmen in America in
formation upon this vital legislation in
which they are interested. He said:
Il am not in position to speak with
any authority of what the Irish devolution
bill is likely to be. There are, however,
certain lines upon which without any in
ner knowledge ii may be predicted with
some confidence that any minister is sure
| to travel If his bill is to have any chance
OF being accepted by the representatives of
ireland.
A Preliminary Experiment.
In the first place it is certain that the
bill will not be presented as a settlement of
the Irish claim for self government. but
only as preliminary experiment What
ever arrangements may be proposed as TO
the present powers or constitution of the
Irish council, they will be provisional and
Will be left open to enlargement in n
period of ten years at the utmost, or. as /
hope and believe. five years.
In the second place the kings speech
may De taken as defining the scope of the
istrative and financial. That is to saw
they will embrace control of all the adj
illustrative 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, in
clude the spending, although not the rails
ing OF the greater part of Irish taxation
The omission of the word legislation.
from the kings speech tells its own his
tory. 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 the bill may
be so amended as to enable the Irish
council 10 pass upon at least one stage of
all the Irish bills. Very likely the mem
bers of the government have not yet made
up their minds finally between the various
suggestions as to the constitution of the
new body.
Status Of Parliament.
'One or two things, however, may be TAX.
en- as certain. One is that the Irish repre-
sentation In the imperial parliament will
remain as at present, and another is that
the whole 103 Irish members of the inn 3
perial parliament will be ipso facto, MEM
bers of the new Irish council. 1t is
certain that steps will be taken to give
the weather. unionist minority some spe-
cial representation whether by nomination
or election on restricted franchise. II
Is no less certain, however, that any such
arrangement, while securing the adeouate
representation of the minority, will leave
the Irish council overwhelmingly NATIONAL
Isl in Its composition.
The success or failure of the experiment
Will depend mainly upon the financial ar
rangements. 1t may be taken for granted
that the principle first laid down in Mr..
Windham's development of Ireland grant
will be specifically recognized namely that
any savings made in the present enormous
cost OF the imperial establishments of police
and judiciary in Ireland shall become
exclusively lrelands property. to be dis
posed Of as the Irish council th.aks fit.
Much Money Needed
If the council is to be a success, at least
million pounds sterling will have to be
placed at its disposal yearly, between the
savings and an allotted revenue to be ex-
pended In the development of the coun-
try's resources. Those who may be dis
appointed with the bill will do well to re-
member that 1t Is not a question of how
much the government Is willing to give,
but how much it is possible for the govern
ment to carry into law, what with the op-
position or the house Of lords and the cleo
ton pledges of its own supporters That
Is difficulty which once more illustrated
the blunder committed by the dominant
section of the Irish party in shipwrecking
the almost exactly similar measure Mr.
Windham was contemplating three years
ago.
The tories could have induced the house
of lords to accept without murmur a
Dill which they will now almost certainly
reject. However, if even now the Irish
party would set themselves to allaying
instead of infiaming, the apprehension of
Englishmen and of our Protestant .coun-
trymen 1t would be quite possible to rally
such a body of support behind the bill as
would disarm all dangerous opposition IL
the experiment is once tried and worked
in spirit of moderation and sense an
Irish council will inevitably and by uni
versal consent expand into a full blown
Irish parliament Otherwise we will be
only wasting the session and blowing the
sands