IRELAND'S FINANCIAL RELATIONS.
[TO THE EDTIOR OF THE "SPECTAT0R:9
have read the Spectator for twenty years,—not always in agreement, but never without profit. But I do not remember to have seen any case stated so unfairly as is the case of Ireland in your article on the Budget in last week's issue. Here is the paragraph I refer to
"We pay for the whole of her police out of the Imperial Exchequer, we give her an administrative and judicial machinery which costs more per capita than the same machinery in England, and by a whole series of legislation such as culminated in the recent Land Act we spend Imperial money on Irish development which we should never dream of spending in the case of England or Scotland."
If I were an Irishman, I should feel myself grossly insulted by this ostentatious parade of England's charity towards my
country. But being an "unspeakable Scot" who for twenty years has represented an -Ulster constituency, and, therefore,
less sensitive, I simply say that the paragraph is a mere delusion. As you put the case it is technically correct. All the cost of Irish government comes out of the Imperial Exchequer. What you do not say, however, is of the essence of the case. England raises by Imperial taxation in Ireland
something like £10,000,000 per annum. The entire cost of governing the country—police, judiciary, education, everything —is about £7,000,000. The difference between the two-sums is Ireland's Imperial contribution. Why, therefore, do you say
"we" do this and that for Ireland ? What you really do is to extract from Ireland a contribution towards the Army, Navy, &c., wholly beyond what is just, and which she is quite unable to pay. And, finally, let me say that in a country with less crime than either England or Scotland, you keep up a police force which costs almost three times as much as the police of Scotland, and one-half of which is un- necessary. You maintain a judiciary one-half of which is unnecessary. The Judg could be reduced by one-half without any real injury. A. d England never gave one shilling on account of any Land Act. What you have done is to lend money raised at 2i per cent. at 2i. per cent., and the actual loss on the flotation of the loan is borne by an Irish fund. I rejoice that Mr. Asquith sees things in a fairer 99 Ashley Gardens, S.W.
[Mr. T. W. Russell makes no attempt to answer our con- tention that Ireland cannot be overtaxed, as compared with England and Scotland, if Irishmen are not overtaxed, as com- pared with Englishmen and Scotsmen, and that Irishmen cannot be so overtaxed if no Irishmen can be produced who pay more taxes because they live in Ireland than they would pay if they lived in England or Scotland. When Mr. Russell shows us such Irishmen—and we cordially invite him to produce them—we will admit we have been unfair in our statement. Meantime we can show him plenty of Englishmen and Scotsmen who pay taxes because they live in England or Scotland which they would not pay if they lived in Ireland. We are anxious to see the Irish Justiciary and Civil Service
and police reduced in numbers and expense, and trust Mr. Russell will persuade the Government to undertake this good work.--ED. Speatatora
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