The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-04
ENGLISH CABINET SITUATION.
DEBATE on HOME RULE BILL
AGAIN BEGUN IN QUIET
HOUSE.
Chance for It's ADOPTION now Seems
Better Than FOrmcTly--Sir Edward
Grey Offers New solution to Prob
lem-.ssquith Missed.

London, March 31.--A parliament
tary writer observed few days ago:
This amazing government seems to
thrive on its blunders' and the net
result Of a ci.sis without parallel in
modern times has been that the de-
bate on the second reading on the
home rule bill was resumed today in
an atmosphere of unexpected calm,
with apparently a better prospect Of
being carried by consent than ever
before.
| The Unionists are clearly alarmed
at the spectre which Carsonite meth
DDS have raised of an election fought
on a plaHo Horm cry of the parliament
versus the army Even the moderate
Liberals are anxious to avoid such a
struggle, which it is feared soon would
let loose Il flood of passion exceeding
even that which attended the agita-
/ ton TO abolish the Veto power of the
house of lords.
Hence the proposal of Sir Edward
Gray, secretary of State for foreign
affairs, submitted to the house today,
OF federal system of government
for the British Isles as solution for
the difficulty, which he put forward in
q speech of conciiiation, has been re-
ceived on both sides with great SYM
pathy and it is believed will lead 20
a renewal of negotiations between the
front benches for the arrangement of
an acceptable compromise.
Opinion, both inside and outside
parliament, supports settlement on
the federal basis, and a meeting of
about so members of the house repre-
! senting both parties was held today to
discuss the question.
Viscount Morleys decision not to
resign as lord president of the coun-
Gil pleases the Liberals, as at his ad-
vanced age it would have meant his
permanent retirement from politics
and the party would regret to see the
: veteran statesman retire under a
cloud.
Niscount Morley said: "If Col
Seely's first resignation had been ac-
cepted by Premier Asquith, mine
would have followed, as 1 had been a
party to his irregularity in adding the
two peccant paragraphs to the cabi-
net document"
Lord Morley contended that Col
Seeley's second resignation was indie
pendent of what had occurred be-
tween himself and tho then secretary
OF war and was for the purpose of
disposing of all appearance of a bar
gain with the military officers. He re-
itorated his belief that the spirit of
the two paragraphs added to the
memorandum sent to Brig. Gen.
Cough was not at all alien to the view
Of the government.
The vital fact so far as his action
was concerned, he said, was that when
he saw the paragraphs he had not
seen Gen. Coughs letter, SO he was
quite unaware that there had been
any attempt to dictate terms or that
the letter was in reply to Gen. Coughs
request for assurances.
/ In the house of commons Sir Ed
ward Grey, the foreign secretary, said
the ministers were not prepared to
make any concession beyond the six
years exclusion Of the Ulster coun-
ties from operation of the bill Of
fcrcd by Premier .Asquith.
The country" he said, must set
time. Meanwhile the question of
coercion of Ulster can not arise until
after general election, but if there
are sporadic outbursts in that pro-
vince force must be used, and if an at
tempt is made to set up Il provisional
SoVo rnnent and defy the imperial
parliament. the army must be used"
Sir Edward Grey put forward a hint
that the government was ready to go
To thc country for general election
If parliament would enact its bills
abolishing the system of plural voting,
giving home rule to Ireland and dis
establishing the Welsh church.
IF an election could be assured"
said he, ION the terms of securing the
abolition of plural voting and of
Placing home rule and Welsh discs
adjustment on the statute books. /
method would be worthy Of consid-
eration.'
lie suggested the establishment of !
federal system of government for
the l'ritiSh Isles as a solution of the
home ru!c difficulty The suggestion
VA" received with grcat attention bv