On Thursday, Mr. Balfour met the criticisms which had been
made upon his Bill in a speech which will raise his repu- tation as a debater and a statesman higher than ever. After defending his scheme for dealing with the congested districts from the attacks of Mr. Dillon, and declaring that, but for the fear of overloading the Bill, he would have included in it a plan for "fining down" rents, he dealt with Mr. Chamberlain's proposals. If Ireland were in a normal condition, he would gladly associate Irish County Councils with the administra- tion of the Bill. Since, however, the local bodies "are as much elected by political arrangements and on political lines as the Parliamentary party opposite," it would be madness " to hand over to the County Councils the sole authority for determining whether this great object of the Imperial Parlia- ment shall be carried into effect or not." In our opinion, this argument would alone be amply sufficient to condemn Mr. Chamberlain's plan ; but we have endeavouredito show elsewhere that there exist other reasons still stroncrev dg--inst its adoption. Mr. Balfour ended his spedch by boldly facing the question of repudiation, and by showing, in a manner to our minds quitd conclusive, that a universal strike against the payment of the instalments would be impossible. It is a curious proof of how little heart there is in the Parnellite opposition, that the interruptions had none of that fire and energy to which we are accustomed when the Chief Secretary is speaking.
