The Irish standard., 1913-05-31
IRISH BILL TO HAVE
RAPID PASSAGE
Will Be Introduced Under the
Easiest, Most Formal and
Speedy Method.
rII:'' g ;N'7
Under Parliament Act No Altera-
tions or Amendments Are
Permitted.
Famous Scene Created by Introduc-
ton of Gladstone Bill in
1886 Recalled.

In olden days, whenever a bill was
introduced, the proposer had to go|
through nearly the same lengthy and
ceremonial performances as If the
measure were of first class import
ance. The member had to describe
the provisions of the bill, to make his
case for Its necessity, and when he
had done all this, he had to submit
the bill to a division IL anybody called
for it. If he were lucky enough to get
g. majority in favor of the first read
Ing, he was then asked by the speaker
who were going to introduce the bill;
the member then rolled out the names
Of the members who were ready to
assist him, and when he had done
this, he left his seat, walked down to
the floor of the house to what Is called
the bar OF the house, then his name
was called by the speaker, and. with
his bill In his hand, the member
walked up the floor of the house, bow
ing solemnly three times to the speak
er and then handed his bill to one OF
the clerks at the table. writes 7. T.
O'Connor In the Chicago Tribune.
This performance has something of
the comic and the quaint. like to ma,.y
s0f the; old ceremonies. and has been
made oftsn the rcaston OF a demon
stration, either Of nnockery or ap-
plause. When the bill in question was
one Of great Importance and one which
excited strong party passion. the min
lister responsible for the bill walked
up the floor Of the house amid volleys
of cheers from his supporters, and
sometimes, even when passion ran
very high, members have got UP to
their feet and waved handkerchiefs by
way of relieving their feelings. But
! when an humble member of the rank
and file, Introducing a harmless and
non-contentious bill, and especially II
| he happened to be either grOtesque
or popular figure, there were loud
cheers as he solemnly made his three
obeisances, but there was little
mocRery In the cheers.
i Loss Formally Now.
In recent years the whole tendency
of the House of Commons has been t.
get rid of unnecessary formality and
! to curtail debate within such proper
tions as would enable the house t..
make some progress with that .."rih!'!
congestion of business which Is the
i result of the ridiculous concentration
of all the local work Of England and
Scotland, Wales and Ireland and OF
the British empire in one Legislative
! chamber. And one Of the reforms
;: made has been the disappearance OF
"a great deal of the formality which
used to accompany the introduction
u and the first reading of every bill
There are now. accordingly, several
different methods of dealing with thai
stage OF a bill. If it be great and
contentious measure, the old system is
the bill introduces 1t In q speech o1
some length; he makes his case, anu
then he describes it's provisions. Often
this has been one Of the most dra-
matte and one of the most exciting
stages of the whole controversy, II
was certainly 80 when Gladstone in
troduced his first Home Rule bill ir
1886.
Famous Scene Of 'e6.
Never will any who took part in il
forget that memorable and unprecc
dented scene. Everybody in the house
was, Of course, anxious to have seat
especially the Irishmen. and many o
the Irish arrived at the house at
a. m. and ate their breakfasts In thu
house. Thus it was that as early a.
s q. m. there was scarcely a seat left
The debate was to be opened by Glad
stone about p. m., and when at
p. m. many belated members. came in
they found the house already filled IL
, every nook and corner and were il
despair; they had either to stand VI
during the speech or to take refug'
in the galleries around the chamber
where they could neither hear no- so
: well; and this on the most histor