HOME RULE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1650, 17 January 1913, Page 5

HOME RULE.

THIRD READING STAQE.

REJECTION MOVED,

MR. BALFOUR'S ATTACK.

PREMIER IN REPLY.

By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright .'■..'.'■ (Beo. January 16, 9.10 p.m.)

•:'London, January 16. . The blosing ecenbs of the battle in the House of Commoos over the Home Rule Bill were : marked .; by characteristic specohes by Mr. Balfour and Mr. Asquith. ':■'' ';.-' , Mr. Balfour, in moving the rejection of,tho Bill, confessed ithat the-.Govefn-me'nt was supported by substantial majorities, but the discussion had been carried on in a manner making the value of the support worthless, and reminding one of the old comedies where the chief schemer invited his subordinates to carry out his policy by: giving .them different versions of his objects. The Irish had been given a dangerous ; weapon, with jvhioh they might secure their real ambition of a full-fledged nationality. Friction and strife -would result from getting too muohi.or too'little. ■.-' :'; •. '■ /

Mr. 1 Balfour, continuing, derided ,-the constitutional arohitecte, who had searched the world to'Create',an ; abortive federalism. ■ He sketched ,Ulster's, reasons'for opposition, and 6aid history showed that tho mixture of religion and politics proved injurious to a minority.- W^ile' no one believed in a recrudescence of the old style of persecution, yet each age. possessed its own : methods -. of'.' persecution. , Ulster knew: the crime-stained record of the men who would be it 9 masters, and it was not unreasonable for Ulster to' refuso .to be placed under these men. The, fact. that the Bill needed safeguards justified Uk ster's,attitude. '-.:-.'. .'•'.■; ; ;-': ■'~,:.'

:,The Government, ho declared, had promised tho Nationalists a nationality, the British; people peace, and tho taxpayer economy. -It had .told the supporters of Home-Bulp-All-Round; that..' this -..' step' meant/the disintegration of 'the United Kingdom, and bad told;the'lmperialist that jit ..was a: step towards the unity of tho Empire. /All had been/duped, and the greatest dupes 'were the; Nationalists and the British people. The Bill gave Ireland rights too great for Britain's fiscal in-terests,'-but the Government, on the other hand, 1 had don©its utmost: to deprive the Irish,,Governmont;of ~what :every,-,. selfgoverning. Dominion possessed; ' ■

:; ; After. saying' that' he was ' shocked by thoutter, dangerous want of 'comprehension .'of; the Ulster problem,;. Mr. Balfour warned the; House'/ that; if.' calamities arose, if blood were spilled—which God forbid—then the real'assassins would be those who had never had the courage to face ;.the'situation. ':;'; ' ~.; :■"': ■' ytyr^RyASQlJ^ - .The Prime Minister,",: Mr.' Asquith, received an ovation, on rising. Ho lectured Mr. Balfol^ Union! as a starting, point: they must look further back, to understand, the'genesis of. the Irish'question and .the demand, for self-government.. That; demand was . the organised; l articulate,, and permanent expression of the : vast majority of the Irish. Mr;'Asquith twitted Mr. Balfour as' the master in the, art of .manufacturing false dilemmas.' He (Mr. Asquith) .was'-not troubled by, the criticism that the Constitution was neither 'fish, 'fowl; etc. .If he:'could' r meet;,Ulster's 'claim, whether founded on, justiQO or, even. miEapp'rehehsion,:.without inflicting injustice pay the whole of Ireland, ho would gladly do so, but it would be' absolutely fatal to a democratic' Government to. concede the claim, because it was a minority claim. Ho calculated that the Bill would and the seoular quarrel. /■.;,-::; ; :. ::::/. ■; ; . .Mr,.' Balfour .' had' conveniently ' ignored •': the;: fact: /that:,-' the: ; : Irish' movement had passed from a matter of sentiment and effort ito organised, Vactical, inevitable reality!.,' If the Bill Was rejected the insjstent demand would remain as .the undiminished permanent expression of the vast majority's -wilLi/Ap-'' parently.; the'only-people 'who wero.;.not dupes .were.Mr, 'Balfour and his friends, who were just'now going through .'their cjwn experience inthe science of political union, (Laughter,),■;..' : :' . * ~;Given pervorsity ..on' .one side and pedantry on the other, continued Mr. Asquith, any. Constitution could be wrecked in: a week. . Apart' from ample { safeguards ■; in the Bill, two things would operate . most strongly—namely, interest and common-sense.'; Mr; Balfour's.prediction of disaster was a: repetition of a similar one preceding the granting of .self-government to .the 'Transvaal. He (the Premier), was convinced the Bill would exorcise the baneful influences hitherto - keeping: r , Britain'; and Ireland apart, and establish 'permanent unity.

} The ■Prime'! Minister conoluded his speech with "a: peroration declaring that tho Bill would exercise baneful influences ■in'.tho' House. He was listened to in 'hushed silence until ho took"-.his seat again, when there, were rounds of Liberal and Irish cheers. '■'■■'■.■'■, ■■;'

A MESSAGE OF PEACE. ' ' Mr. ,W. O'Brien (Independent Nationalist) declared that the .financial clauses left the' Irish Parliament with shadowy taxation .powers, but the measure was regarded as < a 'sincere '. and, courageous message of peace v ''~'. ' Sir Edward.Carson, leader of the Irish Unionists, was absent owing to his wife's Illness. The Duke of Devonshire will move the rejection.of the Homo Eulo Bill in 'tho House of Lords. . i ~.''■"' PROGRESS OF THE BILL. AMENDMENTS IN THE HOUSE. Now that the House of Commons has Tcached the third-reading stage cf the Homo Eule Bill it is a convenient opportunity for reviewing the composition of tho measure, as it has emerged from the ordeal of detailed consideration in committee. • . The Government itself opposed one radical amendment'with regard, to tho Senate, and accepted others of minor importance. But no vital alteration to which the Government offered opposition has been passed, and the measure, with the one exception referred to, will bo sent to tho Hpuso of Lords in substantially the same form as it was originally introduced in the Lower House. The Irish Parliament. The original proposal of the Bill with Tegard to the Irish Parliament ptovided for two Chambers,.a Senate mid House of Commons. The former body was to consist of 40 members nominated ns regards the first Senators by the Imperial Government, and afterwards by the I,crdLieutenant on the advice of the Irish Executive. The term of office was to bo eighty year's, not to be affected by the dissolution; 10 Senators were to retire every two years, the years of the first 40 Senators being determined. Tho nonse of Commons was to consist of lGi members, elected by the present Parliamentary electors, Ulster to have 59 members, Leinster 41, Munster 37, and Connaught 25, Dublin University retaining its two members. The members were to be. dis-

tributed among the existing constituencies on a basis of 27,000 per member. Tho duration of a House of Commons was to bo limited to fivo years, but it might be dissolved sooner by the Lord Lioutenant acting for the Sovereign under circumstances similar to thoso leading to.a dissolution of tho Houso of Commons at Westminster. Tho consent of both Houses was to bo necessary for the passing of Bills. In the ovent of tho rejection by tho Senato of a Bill passed by tho House of Commons, provision was made to avoid a deadlock. Buck a Bill might bb sent up a second timo by the House of Commons to the Senato in tho next session, and if it was not then adopted by tho Senato, -the two Houses were to deliberate and vote as ono body. S-sriate and Proportional Representation. The scheme for a nominated Senate was not popular either in Ireland or with the Liberals. It was designed to give a Jorge representation to the Irish Unionists. But tho Government decided to' alter tho whole plan. Thore is to bo a limited period or nomination for five years, when the whole Senate will retire, and its successor elected under a system of proportional representation. The voting is to be .by. provinces, not by counties, 'so as to give tho Unionist minorities outside of. Ulster a chance,of representation. The 40 seats are to be allotted in tho proportion of 14 to Ulster, 11 to Leiuster, 9 to Munster, and 6 to Connaught. The change was defended on the ground that.a nominated Senate would haVo no' moral authority, and would in time tend to lose its independence.' Tho scheme for proportional re; presentation, follows the plan already in operation in Belgium and Finland, and in contemplation in France. A strong attempt was made to secure the election of the Lower House by proportional representation. It was contended ihat anything which made' against a partisan spirit must bo an 'advantage in view of possible conflict between tho two Chambers; that the urban population would be' under-represented, and that the Protestants .and Celtic Ireland and the Catholics' of North-east Ulster would not be able ,to cast an'effective vote unless the House of Commons as 'well as tho Senate was elected by the system of proportional" representation. Tho-Govern-ment adhered to its opposition ,te any change in thu) direction until _a' fow days ago, when ifcSwoepted proportional sentation fov ; constituencies returning over two members. This will apply to Dublin, Dublin 'County, Cork, and Belfast, .'..-■:. • > ■ '-. .:-.. The Franchise. : '.-A determined effort was, made by some of the supporters of women's suffrage in tho House of Commons to include women in. the, Parliamentary electorate. Mr. Philip Snowden's amendment, which would have had the, effect of enfranchising about 100,000 Irishwomen, was, howover, defeated by 314 votes, fo 241, a majority of 71.. Tho Government and tho Pedmonditos opposed tho.amendment, but there was: a good deal of crois voting. Tho Independent Nationalists: voted for it, together with 22 Liberals, and Mr. Bonnr Law, Lord Hugh Cecil, and Lord Castloreagh. The Government was supported by a number of Unionists, including Mr. Austen Chamberlain, Sir Hobort Finlay, Mr. Chaplin, Mr. F.E. Smith, and : Mr.'Arthur Lee, whilst five members of the Labour party were also in the majority. The amendment was opposed principally on tho ground that this was a matter for the, Irish Legislature, who could waiter, tho suffrage after three years if it so desired, ..whilst, "if womon were included in tho provisions of tho Franchise Bill this would automatically apply to' Irbland.- The, situation ,wa;j complicated according as the Irish Parliament was regarded as;a Sovereign legislature, or a glorified municipal assembly. Mr. Walter Long took the former view, whilst several Liberals: who were equally .convinced anti-suffragists opposed the amendment because; interference with the franchise would tend; to convert the Irish Parliament into a less important body ad initio. .'•.;•; :-■;:■■ ■ ■ ■■<■■':

7Lvsiii.i : Thß Questions of - ','..,„:\. ""'Tile Government was much'taunted by the Opposition fop eeeming 10. desert their' Free-trade proclivities' by making it possible for .the, Irish .Government to. protect .Irish .industries.'at the: expense of,the inhabitants of England l and Scotland. There was also 'considerable perturbation amongst a section of Liberal members which found' expression','in « memorial signed by between 70 and 80 Government. supporters., This document stated:,"The Irish electors are very much like others, and the :yory_natural cry at elections for tho Irish Parliament will bo-reduction of taxes on tea, sugar, tobacco, and spirituous drink. Irish electors and candidates would say, and who could blame them: "Wo have an old-age pensions provided for, we have land purchase provided for. England already oweg us far. more. than she can ever, repay; so we will free our.necessities and luxuries from taxation, and,the existing deficit of. near two millions is no, concernv of ours." The control, partial as it is, will sot up Customs barriers between Ireland and the United Kingdom, which' will be of necessity, of the most irritating and most vexations nature, and for our own revenue protection travellers from Ireland . will, bs subject to examination as to the possession of contraband articles, Our own people, just as poor, just as deserving, as : ihe Irish,: will feel bitterly the injustice of Ireland, enjoying untaxed tea, sugar, tobacco, drink, while they are' compelled to pay existing, if not'higher, duties; Thenroposnl cut 3 into, the very-vitals of. any Federal oystem, which has been so powerfully advocated by his. Majesty's Ministers."

The Government undertook to introduce words mhkine.it clear that the Irish Government could not reduce Customs duties below their .'equivalent, in the United Kingdom, in order that the, financial adiustment provided bv the Bill should jiot he prejudiced therebv. . But;the Irish Parliament will not be able to raise the duties. They will not be able to grant on exnort, but it would 'eeem that they can do so on production.

Representation at Westminster. .Mr. Cassel's amendment to the effect that the representation of .42 Irish members at 'Westniinster should not take effect iintil' Ireland made a contribution to the Imperial finances was defeated by a large majority, Mr. Asquith defending •tho provision on the ground that the Home Eule Bill was a first instalment of "a larger measure of devolution." Two •nnsncce<sful attempts were made to., exclude Ulster and the Protestant counties from the operation of the Bill, and attempts to compel, the lard Lieutenant to consult the Imperial Executive with, regard to every Bill, to except factory" and workshop legislation from the Bill, and to strengthen the safeguards against religious or other oppression of the Gov-, eminent were also defeated. In spite of ; the recent defeat on o snap division,' no material amendment has been niade in the financial provisions of the Bill, which involved the payment out oft Tie Imperial Exchequer of a sum of two million pounds a year in the finst yeaTS of the Irish Parliament to'meet tho probable deficit in .Irish finances. .