IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2466, 18 February 1893, Page 1

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

London, Feh, 14

In his speech Mr Gladstone said that it was past the wit of man to discover a plan for the retention of Irish members in the House of Commons free of objection. He desired to relieve England of dishonor, and he would do so with his last breath. He entreated the House to let the dead past bury its dead, and not bequeath a heritage of discord to their successors, At the conclusion of the Premier's speech an unexampled scene occurred. Members rushed into the lobby yelling and shouting. Some fell near the entrance to the door of the Chamber, and were trampled on. Mr Caleb Wright was one of those who fell, but he was rescued by Mr Burns. The followers of Mr McCarthy approve of the Bill, but the support of the Parnellites ia doubtful. Mr Gladstone, in reply to Mr Balfour, declined to introduce the Land Bill until the Homo Rule Bill was passed, In the meantime the land laws would follow their present course. Customs dutie* would bo levied and collected by Imperial officials, and the excise duties by Irish officials.

Mr Balfour contended that the reasons assigned for tho necessity of Home Rule when the Bill was brought forward in 1886 had disappeared, since social order had been restored in Ireland. It would bo criminal to create a Home Rule Parliament until the agrarian question was settled. The Bill waa a strange and complicated abortion. There was no protection for the land-owners, and B was certain to produce a deadlock either in tho English or Irish Government. He objected to the Irish members having a deciding voice in the formation of the British Cabinet, and also to thoiv deciding upon Urn imiawvea which

were to be submitted to the Imperial Parliament.

The Irish members generally approve of the Home Rule Bill, while objecting to some of the details, especially the finance section.

The Radicals object to the retention of Irish members in the Imperial Parliament. It is believed that Mr Gladstone is prepared to consider that point. There is a lack of enthusiasm over the measure among the Liberals. The Opposition will not call for a division on the motion to introduce the Bill.

iVlany members of the Radical Party distrust Mr Gladstone’s lukewarmness, and are not in favor of the retention of Irish members.

The Unionists consider that the steps to be taken to maintain Imperial supremacy are ut+erly inadequate, and that a double veto is delusive.

The Times says that the Bill is profoundly disappointing, and that there are no real safeguards for minorities. The veto it regards as illusory, and considers that the proposals for retaining Irish members, and leaving the land to merceniries and to the command of the highest bidder, highly dangerous. The Daily Chronicle says that the retention of the Irish members at Westminster is a great and acceptable feature, and should Mr Gladstone waver on this point the Bill will be killed. The logical outcome «f the Bill will, it considers, be Homo Rule demanded for Wales and Scotland.

Tho Daily News says that the Bill is in; ire worthy of acceptance by Irishmen, and more likely to command the sympathy and adhesion of the British people, than the Bill brought down in 1880. The Daily Telegraph says says that the Bill is not statesmanlike, or anything approaching that name. The omission of the land question it regards as indicative of tho spirit in which the Bill was conceived.

The Standard believes that the Bill is impracticable and impossible, and, if passed, would never work satisfactorily. The provincial Unionist Press regard the Bill as worse than that of 1886. They state that it is the old Bill thinly disguised, with redeeming features eliminated for too timid Liberals, and does not go far enough for Irishmen. The Home Rule Press refer to the proposals with guarded approval. The Nationalist feeling in Dublin reseuta the safeguards as too stringent. The Belfast Press attacks the Bill. The Freeman’s Journal echoes Mr Sexton’s views. The election for the Pontefract seat in the House of Commons resulted as follows Mr Rickhill (Liberal), 1288 ;Mr 3haw (Conservative), 1165. Feb. 15. Mr Gladstone, in his reply to Mr Balfour, said that the Imperial payments for Irish local purposes would cease, and the purchase of repayments (!) be secured.

The Duke of Devonshire, speaking at a banquet in the city, said that the Home Rule Bill still failed to meet Unionist objections regarding the supremacy of the Imperial Parliament and the protection of Ulster. Recharacterised it as a mongrel Bill, creating confusion and settling nothing. If the measure passed the House of Commons it should certainly be referred to the country. The Standard asserts that Mr Balfour and his party will vote against the retention of Irish members at Westminster, and that many Radicals will join them.

The Irish Unionists are organising a vigorous campaign iu Ulster, and appeal to the Nonconformists in England and Scotland.

The Marquis of Salisbury has accepted an invitation to visit Belfast.

The Radicals are pressing the Government to place a vote on the Estimates for the payment of members. The Premier prefers to proceed by way of Bill. The Times characterises this suggestion as a bold attempt to transfer responsibility to the British taxpayer. Mr Gladstone has received a large number of telegrams congratulating him on his Home Rule Bill, especially from Wales and Cork.

The Irish limes says that the former Horae Rule Bill was a failure, and that the present one, though modified, is squally vicious.

Berlin, Feb. 15

The Vossische Zeituug, referring to the Bill, considers that Mr Gladstone has made a happy solution of the question.

Paris. Feb. 15. Le Temps points to the measure as a great reform.

New York, Feb. 15

The American and Canadian Press receive the Home Rule Bill cordially, and say it ought to satisfy Ireland. Washington, Feb. 16.

Tho Olan-na-Gael support the retention of Irish members in the Imperial Parliament.