LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE .A.YR ELECTION.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
'Sra,—In the extremely interesting article, entitled "The Defeat in Scotland," which appeared in the Spectator of June 23rd, the following passage occurs :—" No candid man can 41eny that the Ayr Burghs election is a heavy blow to Unionist hopes, and that it suggests the probability that Mr. Gladstone will carry the constituencies with him at the next General Election." If the word " possibility " were substituted for -‘‘ probability," I should agree with you. But why should there be a possibility or probability of the electors reversing the verdict they gave two years ago ? May it not be the non possumus attitude of the Government, and, I fear, of Lord Hartington and Mr. Bright, with regard to the extension of local representative government to Ireland? At the last General Election, most Liberal Unionists and many Conserva- tives pledged themselves to the extension of local repre- sentative government to the whole of the United King- dom. As a Liberal Unionist, I was astounded when, some months ago, Mr. W. H. Smith announced in the House of Commons, that so far as Ireland was concerned, the scheme was to be indefinitely postponed. It is said that great risk would be incurred ; but we have already incurred the risk of extending the Parliamentary household franchise to Ireland, and it is impossible now to refuse a similar measure for local government.
Why not endeavour to convert the Irish occupier into an owner on the lines of Lord Ashbourne's Act. Then establish in each town and rural district an elected Council for the local government of that district, and in each of the four provinces :a Provincial Council, to which should be delegated the powers .of the Local Government Board and the privilege of Private. Bill legislation. Then when Parliament is not sitting at Westminster, let the sixteen Members for Ulster meet at Belfast, the twenty-eight for Leinster at Dublin, the fifteen • for Connaught at Galway, and the twenty-five for Munster at Cork. In this way, the Imperial Parliament would be relieved of a great deal of work, and Irishmen would learn responsi- bility. Very probably there would be mismanagement and jobbery, but such things are not unknown on this side of St. George's Channel. For good or ill, the United Kingdom is • committed to the most democratic form of government in the world. Let Ireland sink or swim with Great Britain.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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