New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-25
REDMOND'S TRIUMPH
Optimistic View of a ParIia.
mentary Crisis.

the budget 20 pass and nc has obtained
this week what hs insisted upon having
namely. an explicit declaration from IN.
Prime Minister that when the veto reso-
buttons are rejected by the Lords guaran-
tees will be demanded and that the gov-
eminent Will not remain in office n thss,
safeguards are withheld. Revolt Within
the Cabinet has been suppressed: N,
Prime Minister has announced his sur.
render In person and IN the precl,,
phrasing required: and the Nationalist
veto upon the passage OF the budget ha,
been sususlded. The Radical party hasi
taken its policy and its tactics from Mr..
Redmond
The next election will be fought exciu-
sively upon the veto question. and ~ III,
coalition triumphs again the veto bill VIII
be enacted and Home Rule viii be car.
ried after two or three years. The fac-i
ton headed by Mr.. O'Brfen will be letr az
a fatal disadvantage. because the budget!
will disappear from the impending cam
vsss and the veto and Home Rule VIII 30
the paramount issues. BY retaining
tenaciousiy the only weapon by which hs
could 1Orce ministers 10 stand By their
speeches. Mr.. Redmond has outmanou-
vred rivals and antagonists and won ~
brilliant victory
The Irish leader f. reproeched for
dragging the Prime Minister 20 the steps
OF the throne and for forcing the Sover- /
eign into party politics. II he were not q 7
reticent politician he might reply that lrr. /
Asquith. IN the Albert Hall speech. had :
planted himself on the steps OF the throne
and that the Nationalist had merely
kept him there and enabled him to re-
deem his pledges. II the Prime Minister
few weeks hence asks for guarantees
and resigns Office when the Sovereign
declines to grant them. he will DO what
he pledged himself % do last December.
The Irish blackthorn may have been
brandished over his gray head. but 10 has
been a serviceable reminder that good
faith required him 70 keep his word in
violate.
AS for the crown. how can II be kept
out OF a constitutional conflict between
the houses? It's power and interests are
bound up with the rights and privileges
OF representative government. It's pre-
rogative secures the freedom Of the cleo
torste to levy taxes and TO make laws
Encroachments upon the traditional
powers Of the Commons are assaults
upon the crown. The Irish leader can
cite all the great expositors OF the Brit
ish constitution IN support OF hts con-
tention that he Is defending the crown
rather than conspiring with Radicals
against ID, when he seeks 10 substitute a |
suspensive for the absolute veto Of thsl
Lords on finance and legislation. The I
ministers OF the day. with the electorats ,
behind them. are servants Of the crown
employed on the Kings business and tn
the management Of the estates OF ths
empire: and the royal prerogative OF
creating peers by scores or hundreds IS
their only defence against usurpation oc
the Lords.
1t is true that there has beer for gen. /
erations a tacit agreement among states |
men TO keep the Sovereign out OF party !
complications and to protect HIS char. I
acter as non-partisan. benevolent neu-i
trail Communications between ministers
and the King have been the closest ot I
I
possible form for members OF Parliament
TO discuss the relations OF the crow-si
with the legislative chambers or with
any branch OF the public service. Thesal
traditions will be sacrificed Inevitably
when the breach comes between tho
houses over the veto resolutions
The Prime Minister. with Mr. Rednonf9
behind him. has already announced whao3
he VIII do when II becomes necessary toa
offer advice to the Sovereign: and thsrs1
has never been a disclosure OF tnis sore
In advance of an audience with royalty.
What IS more serious. the answer Of the
! Sovereign 70 the demand for guarantees ,
will also be known. although the Primo
Minister may be silent and the Court I
/ Circular without pointers. II the Primal
Minister resigns office the nation viii
understand that the guarantees have
been withheld. II Parliament be dis
solved. II will be equally plain that tbs
King has consented TO create ths
requisite number OF peers If the elector-
ate supports the demand. Whether the
Prime Minister abandOns Office or ap-
peals TO the country. the authority and
prestige Of the King will be felt in cur
rent politics for or against one party or
the other. That will be an anomaly-s
highly dangerous and most unfortunate
innovation; but apparently il cannot Do
helped.
Mr.. BalfOur has translated "gCaran-
tees into plain English as the nOmics-
ton OF five hundred unit gentlemen rf
the honor OF sitting in the House OK
Lords" II this We're the only possible
sequel 20 the demand for restrictions
upon the veto Of the upper house tns
Prime Minister and Mr.. Redmond. m
stead Of being serious politicians. w0uid
be a pair of QuiNOtes battling WIN
windmills. The creation OF i've hUndreo
peers is clearly an impracticabie enter
prise. and viii never be attempted oy
/ Prime Minister or sovereign. surely mo
menace OF investing hundreds 81 coH-
tributors 90 Liberal funds with the
honOrs OF nobility will be sufficient 20
overcome the opposition Of the Lords 10
| the veto bill
The reform bill OF 1892 was enacted
without the creation OF peers when mo
/ sovereign was convinced that the nSt'oh
was thoroughly in earnest in its deter
minatiOn 20 have representative govern
ment: and public opinion is now m0''