New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-08
COLLEAGUE OF ASQU|TH
EXPLAINS HOME RULE
Herbert |. Samuel. Postmaster
General, Deeply Interests
Canadian Audience.
DRAFTED CLAUSES OF BILL
Financial Arrangements Of
Measure Make Abuse of
Power by Irish Legis-
lature Impossible.
IBy Telegraph to Tho Tribune ]

bf 4flFEIalH ITO . tt' AtfA.tii'
Ottawa. oct The Right Hon Her
bert L. Samuel. British Postmaster
General. interested a great audience. in
Guiding the Prime Minister and the mem
bers OF his cabinet. at a Canadian club
luncheon to-day by vigorously defending
his governments Irish policy.
A large part Of his audience. which was
antagnostic at an early stage OF Mr.
Samuers speech. openly voiced its dis
appointment IN his statement but at the
conclusion Of his remarks openly APP
pauded him. Mr.. Samuel said:
Il had the honor OF being asked by
Mr. Asquith 10 take charge Of the draft
ing and OF the conduct through the House
of Commons Of the financial clauses Of
the Home Rule bill. and, therefore these
provisions relating 10 customs are ex-
ceedingly familiar 70 me. The Irish Par
lament can only tax articles that are
taxed by the imperial Parliament and
make a small addition 70 those taxes for
its own benefit.
1T must not impose any customs duties
so as 10 give a protection 10 any Irish
product or manufacture. II a customs
duty is imposed on Scotch whiskey. for
example. an equal excise duty must be
imposed upon Irish whisky. Otherwise
the tax Will be Illegal and could not he
collected That is in order 10 secure that
this action on the part Of the Irish Par
lament shall be for revenue only and
shall not raise any question Of protection
or Of tariff policy, properly so called one
further restriction ! may give:
There Is d duty on tea imported into
the British Isles OF hvepence pound.
The Irish Parliament could say: on tea
imported into ireland the duty shall be
fvepence halfpenuy' Upper cent more-and
they are limited % that 10 per cent. so as
not 10 draw upon the source OF imperial
revenue. and that additional halfpenny
tax will be for the benefit Of the Irish
exchequer They may say: We viii add
10 the duty on beer And there IS no
limit there on beer imported from Eng
land and Scotland: but they must also put
a similar duty on beer manufactured In
ireland, and that additional alone VIII 90
into the Irish exchequer.
THAT is the power, and the sole power
conferred upon he Irish Parliament. II
has been conferred upon them only be-
cause there is no other means-for reasons
into which | need not enter-of securing
10 the Irish Parliament adequate sources
for increasing their revenue. There is
none of the complete control over Gus
toms policy which Canada has, for eX-
annie. and which would indeed be incon-
sis,ent with the idea Of federation within
l. Inn Hot 70 lfn ara
gradually working
AT the present time, from the Province
of Ulster, there is a majority OF one In
favor of Home Rule. But that division IS
a geographical division. There is a prob
lem OF Ulster, so-called, but II is in effect
the problem Of Northeast Ulster, where
there is a large, active. enterprising.
homogeneous population. which is over
whalmingly opposed 10 Home Rule and
which returns the seventeen Irish mem
bers of Parliament opposed 10 the policy
proposed by the government
"For thirty years and more. four-fifths
OF the Irish people. unwdverinely cleo
ton after election. have declared their
desire for local elf-government In Great
Britain at the present time there IS a
ma tority in favor OF the same policy. In
our Parliament at Westminster, II you
we're 10 exclude the members from Ire
land altogether and count only the mem
hers for England. Scotland and Wales
excluding ireland in toto-in Great Brit
ain. in England Scotland and Wales
alone there is at the present time a ma
,ority of sixty votes in favor of the
policy Of Home Rule for Ireland. That
being so. and when we believe that in
principle apart from details. our general
policv has the approval OF public opinion
in the domnions OF the Empire, the gov
eminent of the United Kingdom cannot
and will not abandon it's proposals for
establishing local self government in he
land"