Mr. Morley, at Newcastle on Saturday, repeated in even stronger
terms his objection to the grant of municipal liberties in Ireland. He says the rates are increasing in Ireland every- where. and not, as Mr. Goschen had said, only in districts where the National League is strong. " The evil is enormous," and the landlords bleeding to death ; and, of course, "if you increase the power and the number and the functions of local bodies, you are increasing their power of oppressing the landlords and bleeding them to death." That statement, which we believe to be true, is most significant ; but Mr. Morley did not follow it up with the logical corollary that the Parlia- ment in Dublin will also be a local body. Nobody seems to consider that though its power over Customs and Excise will be limited, its power over rates will be unlimited ; and that in its very want of revenue, it is exceedingly likely to throw all ex- penditure possible upon the rates. They could be made to bear nearly the whole cost of the administration of the country, paid magistrates and police included. Mr. Morley repeated that be would be no party to any scheme which left the Land Question in Ireland upon the shoulders of an Irish Government.
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