The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-21
| LIBERALS APPEAR. TO
APPROVE HOME RULE
Phrase sHome Rnle' Intolerabe to Unonists-United
States and Other Countries Cited to Show
It's Necessity

do without specinc authorization by
the imperial parliament.
Tries for Ten Years to Get Bill
Through.
For instance. one small city in Ire
land has been for more than ten years
endeavoring to get a bill passed per-
hitting 1t to extend the mains of gas
plant which 1t owns and operates. The
difficulty in getting >any Irish legis-
lation through parliament Is so great
and the expense attached so enormous
that the matter Is still held up. VI
The city of Glasgow, the Scotch
metropolis Is often cited as the most
up-to-date municipality in the world
1t operates successfully and profitably
all Its public utilities. 1t has a city
government which, within 1t limita-
tons OF power, Is regarded by peo-
pie at home and abroad as a model
Of efficiency. And yet the city OF
Glasgow cannot make a twelve-foot
extension Of street car track without
extension of street car track to COM
meet with another line without get
ting a bill through the imperial par
lament specifically authorizing that
particular extension.
To get the bill through II Is not
enough. that a member Of parliament
from Glasgow shall introduce and ad-
vocate 1t before committee, and,
finally got II passed. When It Is in
troduced 1t ia referred to a committee
and the city of Glasgow must appear
before that committee not through
its own municipal officers. but through
London baIrister. accustomed 70
parliamentary practice. The fees
charged are enormous. and, for that
reason, the larger corporations put
all their years demands in a single
bill and try to put 1t through at one
time.
Heavy Expense Goes foy Naught-
The parliamentary expenses are
then aprnrtioned to the various ac-
counts within the city government
Last year. for instance. the parliament
tary expenses of the Glasgow street
railways amounted to more than
$4,000. Sometimes a city will spend
az much as $4,000 in advocacy Of a
b.il, only to have 1t rejected by q
committee without the assignment of
any reason whatever.
From even this very brief survey,
IT may be seen that in every city
there is a demand for a local parlia-
ment that viii have the time to take
up local questions and deal with them
on their merits.
There are political reasons as we'll
that operate to increase the senti-
ment In favor Of federalism. but
neither party Is az yet beold enough
TO take up the program. The unionists
cannot afford TO advocate home rule
all round as party measure at the
very tima when they are resisting
TO the last ditch the grant Of home
rule 10 ireland. On the other hand.
tho liberal leaders cannot make the
new scheme n part Of their program.
because 1t would mean postponing
irish home rule until the Scottish.
Welsh and English measures were
ready for adoption. Then, too. home
rule all round, would have TO be
.. 81 hfuittad~ the peonia In a general
election and that would negative
home rule as well as the other meas
lures which the liberal gov
Arnment In attempting to pass over
the veto Of tho house OF lords.
/ 1t is. indeed. one thing TO declare
/ for the general principle OF federalism
and quite another thing to determine
what powers shall bs~devolved upon
, the four inferior parliaments amt
what powers shall be retained by the
/ imperial parliament. This was the
great public question that dominated
all public affairs IN the United States
| for the first eighty years OF It's exis-
tance, then to he only partly extin-
gu.shei in q terrible civil war. It is
to be doubted IL such a revolutionary
constitutional change can be accom-
/ pIished in Great Britain within gem
Grafton.
1 Effect of Change 10 federalism.
/ Great constitutional crises often are
/ determined by apparently insignificant
| political incidentS--~ff home rule were
1 To he granted To all four of the ma
/ sions In the United Kingdom at this
/ time under the present franchise laws,
! instantly the withdrawal OF portion
| Of liberal strength from ireland.
/ Wales and Scotland would leave the
unionist party high In ascendancy in
England. In that. perhaps, one may
/ discover n reason for the warmth with
/ which the tory press welcomes the adj
! vocates Of federalism.
/ On the other hand. should plural
voting be abolished. and then, as the
next step. manhood suffrage be adopt
ed, 1t is probable that tho liberals
I would have a fighting chance for the
| control OF the English parliament.
| In this one sees the reason why lib
| erals. compelled by their democratic
! professions. to advocate the principle
Tor home rule all round, at the same
/ time extremely slow in taking any
/ Immediate steps toward putting the