The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-05-01

thoroughly acquainted with the gen. eral outlines of the measure, even before it's introduction into the house of commons, said the bill was the greatest concession ever made to Ire land and that Ireland would be a na- ton of fools if she did not accept $. Under it's provisions a generous meas ure of national autonomy is given. and while the fiscal arrangements fall short of the expectation of many, ow- ing to the fact that for the present at least, Ireland will not have absolute control OF customs, excise and other sources of revenue, they are built up- on a solid and satisfactory founda- tion.
 AS it stands now, Mir. Asquith's home rule bill is much superior to the two bills introduced by MT. Gladstone. In the first of these, introduced in the house of commons on January 26, 1886, it was enacted that Ireland should be governed by one legislative assembly, containing two orders. who were to sit and to vote together. The first order was to consist of seventy five elected members and twenty eight peers, and the second order was to consist of 240 elected members. ed from Westminster. This bill was received with much disfavor and, as a matter of fact, disrupted the Liber- al party. Ninety-three Liberals, in- cluding Lord Harrington. John Bright and Joseph Chamberlain, voted against it, and on June 1t was re- jected by a majority of three votes. In 1898 MT. Gladstone's second home rule bill was introduced. This sought to constitute an Irish legislature Of two houses, the upper house to con on limited franchise, and the low CT house of 103 members, elected by the existing constituencies. It also enacted that eighty Irish members should continue to sit at Westminster and, though passed by the house of commons, was rejected by the peers.
 The object of MT. Asquith's bill is not only to make Ireland independent in her law-making powers. but to make her self-supporting as we'll. In this respect 1t differs most materially
 
 the fiscal provisions of which it is a decided improvement. MT. Glad stones initial measure gave the Irish parliament the right to impose all taxes except customs and excise, but enacted that the couhtry should pay annually to the British exchequer a tribute of $22,500,oO0, while his sec ond bill declared that one-third of the taxes raised in Ireland were to De allocated to imperial expenditure and excluded customs and excise from the authority of the Irish parliament.
 After being overtaxed under the act of union for three-quarters of a cen- tury, Ireland has been reduced to point where she cannot pay her way. As things stand now, she will not contribute a penny to imperial pur- poses this year, while other parts of the united kingdom are mulcted of about $7,500,000 for Irish purposes. Without home rule this must contin- ue; with home rule there is every prospect of the country, under a care fully economical administration, be- ing rendered not only self-supporting from the start, but ultimately pros porous, Ireland not only pays noth- ing to the imperial exchequer, but actually gets a gift of $2,5Oo,000, to diminish annually until it reaches $1,- O0O,000. That is to be her govern ment's income from the imperial ex- chequer, provided it leaves that ex- chequer's taxes where they are and imposes none of it's own.
 Taking one thing with another, the bill is broad-minded and liberal. and in accepting it Ireland has chosen the better part.-Philadelph North American.