Monday in the Commons was spent in a financial debate
on the Home Rule Bill, and was notable for the admissions made by the Government as to the necessity of prevent- ing the Irish Parliament from reducing Customs duties and varying the rate of income tax. Mr. Redmond said that the picture of an Ireland prosperous enough to take off the duties on tea and sugar was "mere imagination." A generation must pass before Ireland could effect any real economies. But as a large body of Liberals had demanded a curtailment of the power of the Irish Parliament over the Customs, the Govern- ment and the Irish Nationalists could not disregard their wishes. Sir Edward Carson sarcastically rallied the Government on their discovery that what was once white was now black, and called the attention of Ireland to the declaration of Mr. Redmond that, after all, there could be no relief from the "brutal" taxation of the Saxon. Mr. Samuel frankly admitted that the Cabinet had been exposed to great internal pressure from Liberals. Mr. Austen Chamberlain very use- fully pointed out that though the malcontent Liberals had done well to get reductions of the Customs prohibited there was much for them still to do if only they had the courage. Protection was still possible under the Bill. The promises of the Government, we must point out, leave the question of bounties untouched. If Liberals will persevere they may yet exclude a system of internal bounties.
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