Evening journal., 1914-05-26
Irish HOME rule
BILL EPITONIZED
Measure Gives Ireland Two
chamber Parliament, Under
Control of British
NO LEGISLATION ON
RELIGIOUS QUESTION

such measure to be attempted. Glad
stone disrupted his party with the
bill Of 1856 The bill of 1898 also
failed. The present bill was intro
duced by Premier Asquith April II.
1912, passed the first time by the
House of Commons January 16, 1913.
and rejected by the House Of Lords
the same month. IL was reintroduced
the same year in the succeeding ses-
sion of Parliament and met with the
same fate. The third Introduction
into the House of Commons took
place March OF this year.
The object Of the bill may be stated
succinctly to be to allow an Irish
Parliament to deal with purely Irish
affairs, while preserving the control
OF the Imperial Parliament and gov
ernment over matters touching the
Empire as a whole. Even without
amendment the bill cannot become
operative before eight months from
the date Of its passage. On the other
hand, a provision of the bill COM
pels the organization Of the Dublin
Parliament within a year.
The principal other provisions OF
the bill are as follows:
The Irish Parliament to consist of
two chambers. The House of Com
mons will have 164 members. Ulster
will elect so, Leinster Al, Munster
81 Connaugh 25 and the universi-
ties 2.
The members Of the House of Com
mons are to be elected by the exist
ing constituencies. but no constitu-
ency is to have fewer than 27.OOO
population.
The upper house, or Senate. is IN
consist Of 40 nominated members
These are named at first by the I'm
perial Government, but after six
years by the Irish executive, headed
by the Lord Lieutenant.
A majority vote of the two houses
sitting as a whole will decide ques-
tons in dispute between the two
chambers.
The number Of Irish members in the
Imperial Parliament is 10 be reduced
to ", one in every 100000 population.
The declaration OF war, the control of
army and navy, the Crown the old age
pensions, the national insurance acts.
public loans and all imperial questions
are strictly reserved to the imperial
Parliament and excluded from the con.
troll of the Irish Parliament.
The Irish Constabularv is to be- auto
matically transferred TO the Irish Gov.
ernment after six years. and the power
is given by the bill TO the Irish Parlia-
ment to demand the transfer OF the old
age pensions and insurance acts 10 its
control on giving a years notice to the
imperial government.
The Irish EXchequer will have no i'm
mediate voice in taxation mitters As
time goes on, however, power in this
regard will increase The Irish Parlil-
meut will have the right eventually 10
reduce or discontinue the imperial taxes,
with the exception of the income tax
and the stamp and estate duties.
The Parliament win also have power
TO alter the eXcii Sc dutics. but except in
the case of beer aad spirits il is not TO
add TO the customs duties anything
which will give greater increase than 10
per cent.
All taxes are TO be collected by the
imperial scrvcs. They will be paid
into the Imperial Exchequer, which is
TO pay over to the Irish Exchequer an
amount equivalent TO the expenditure
on Irish services at the time OF the pass
ing OF the act.
The cost TO the United Kingdom of
the Irish services at the passing of the
act is to be determined by a board of
five, two of whom are to be appointed
| by England, two by ireland, and the
chairman by the Crown.
An additional sum of S2,500,00 is TO
be paid to Ireland the first year, and
this will diminish by S2j00O0 yearly
until it is reduced to 81 100000.
The postal services are to be handed
over bodily to the Irish government.
Ireland will have three sources oi
revenue, the sum equal to the Irish ser
vices at the passing of the act; the pos
tai revenue, and the additional amount
varying from S2500,0OO TO 81 100000
The act provides strictly for the safe
guarding of religion. The Irish Parlia
ment shall have no power to make {
religious ceremony a necessity for
valid marriage. or to establish or endov
any religion.
The head of the executive is TO he th
lord lieutenant. to which post religion
disability will no longer apply. Thi
office is to be open TO any subject o
the King without distinction, The Lore
Lieutenant is to hold Office for a fxe'
term of years.
The Imperial Parliament may at an,
time veto or postpone legislation passed
bv the Irish Parliament, and may a
anv time nullify. amend or alter an,
act of the Irish Government.
ANY question concerning the interpre
r tation Of the act is 10 be settled by al
appeal to the judicial committee of th
Privy Council.
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
? to have the power TO veto or suspen
any bill on the instructions OF th
, Imperial Executive
, Preeipitated Army Crisis.
The progress OF the, home rule hi
through the Commons this sprin
was marked by one of the fierce'
parliamentary battles in the country
history, precipitated by the arming {
100000 Ulster volunteers, sworn
resist the operation Of the act an
leading almost to the disruption {
the government.
The regular army was on the vere
of mutiny due TO the blundering {
the War Office in permitting officer
u TO question its orders regarding SCI
! vice I'm Ulster. War Minister Soel
: was forced TO resign from the Cab
+. net, Field Marshal Sir John Frenc
= chief of the imperial staff, and Sir
S. Ewart. adiutant general whe
they discovered that they had bee