The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-11-16
A SNAP DIVISION.

A SNAP DIVISION.
The surprising news was cabled
from London on Monday that the Lib
erals were defeated by a majority Of
~ on an amendment to the Home
Rule bill and that the ministry would
resign in consequence thereof. On
Tuesday another cablegram came say
ing that after a cabinet council last
ing two hours, an official statement
was issued declaring that the obnox-
1ous amendment was carried by "a
snap division on a motion not in &C.
cordance with a rule adopted on Nov.
Z by majority of 121. 1.-THE govern
ment, therefore," the statement con-
cludes, docs not consider that it's de-
feat necessitates any change in it's
program, which, in respect to Home
Rule, has been supported by MAORI.
ties seldom short of 100"
The Speaker of the House was evil
IDENTIFY mapping or he would have re-
)ected such a motion before vote
was taken; but the Home Rule bill is
such a complicated affair that the
presiding officer cannot remember ev-
efythlng pertaining to it that comes
up suddenly in the course of a heated
debate. The Speaker of the House of
Commons should be provided with an
expert parllamentarian to prompt him
on occasions of great excitement.
There Is an expert employed in the
House of Representatives at Washing.
ton to aid Speaker Clark in parlia-
mentary rulings and we think such
an official is needed at Westminster
in these days.
The question on which the Liberals
were outvoted was in reference to
Irish finance. Sir Frederick Banbury.
a Tory, moved an amendment provid-
ing that in case Ireland proved unable
to support itself by local taxation and
had to call on the imperial govern
ment for financial aid, the amount
should be limited to two and a half
million pounds sterling. Premier AS
quith said that was not enough and
that six millions might be reou;red
When put to a vote Banbury's motion
prevailed by 22s to 2o6. When the
result of the vote was announced, the
Tories leaped to their feet, scream
ing: Resign, resign" and the cabinet
meeting was called to- consider the
situation.
The House of Commons has a ,nen-
bership of $40. There were only 434
members present. Where were the
other 1886? The Irish members should
not be absent at this juncture and the
Whip should require every member
who is not sick to be present till the
Home Rule bill is passed. Did any of
the Liberals vote with the Tories? or
how many Nationalists' were absent?
we are not told in the cablegram. We
must wait till next Sunday to learn
the particulars from T. p. O'Counor
in the Chicago Tribune or Minneap-
oils Journal.
Ireland is financially poor and has
been overtaXed under British rule;
but Notwithstanding that fact, Great
Britain does not gain by the opera
ton. 1t is said that during the last
fiscal year there was a deficit of five
millions in the Irish budget, and Eng
land had to draw on it's own exchcuuer
for the amount. Ireland has been i'm
poverished by the extravaganza of an
alien government and. when granted
Home Rule, needs British aid to start
her on career of prosperity. Premier
Asquith is willing to help her, if nee
essary. but the British people may
kick. for they are overtaxed them
selves. One of the reasons, and per-
haps the most potent of all, why Eng
lishmen favor Home Rule for the En-
erald Isle is because it costs them
money to govern it nowadays. They
are willing to let Ireland govern her
self, for they make nothing out Of the
island. On the contrary they lose by
it In taxation to make up the defic-
iency between the income and ex-
penditure under imperial rule