HOME RULE AND THE REFERENDUM.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—Whether or not you consider it advisable to publish this letter, I write to ask you to reconsider your opinion that a Referendum on the Home Rule Bill is desirable. A few weeks ago you stated, as I consider wisely, that to make use of the Royal Prerogative to refuse the King's consent to the Bill was little short of madness, because, for one reason, the prospect of success at the next general election would be seriously imperilled. Is not this equally true of a Referen- dum? A Referendum on a subject not brought personally home to the English constituencies would probably, or possibly, result in a comparatively small number of electors polling. There would be nothing of the personal element, no appeal by individual candidates, possibly no canvassing, certainly few loans of vehicles to carry electors to the poll. The electors, instead of being closely interested, many of them, in the questions at issue in a general election, would be only remotely interested in the result, and the party motive would be to a great extent absent, as it would be a condition of the Referendum that the failure of the Bill should not involve a change of Government. If the result were that less than half the electors polled, matters would be worse than ever, for neither side would accept such a vote as final.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Camphire, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford. R. C. DOBBS.
Previous page
