We wonder whether any one has seriously thought out the
financial difficulties of Federalism. In all true Federal States, like the United States and Switzerland, the different communities exist on a basis of financial equality. There are no inverted tributes such as are proposed in the case of Ireland. On the other hand, if we do not pay tribute to Ireland, the Irish will not look at Home Rule. Again, if tribute has to be paid to Ireland, tribute will have to be paid in equity to everybody else. Parliament at present does not mind footing the bill for poor relations so long as it has a proper hold over their expenditure. But under the scheme of inverted tributes—probably on a continually ascending scale- Waich British Federalism according to its present conception involves, the financial machinery will amount to an utter absurdity.
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