For here, indeed, we have an excellent precedent to give us hope. It was the common evidence of all experts at the time that Ireland grew greatly richer under the twenty years of Grattan's Parliament. The future Irish Parliament will, just as it will be more representative, so supply Ireland with a machine even more efficient than Grattan's Parliament. If so, we have every reason to suppose that within twenty years we shall have a richer Ireland, with a far greater taxable capacity. For can we doubt that the alchemy of liberty will here, too, even in this sordid realm of finance, repeat its ancient power? * * * * * FOOTNOTES: [72] For these proposals see Appendix D. [73] For instance, in the absence of Irish Customs the estimates of true Irish revenue can only be approximate. On the expenditure side, too, there are grave matters of consideration. For instance, should the vote for Irish Constabulary be regarded as a local or Imperial charge? Or Irish judges, or even Irish poverty? It was the definite opinion of the Financial Relations Commission that until Home Rule was set up there could be no possible way of distinguishing between local and Imperial expenditure in Ireland. [74] There are 4,397 civil servants in Ireland with incomes over L160 a year, as against 944 for Scotland. (Inland Revenue Report, 1909-1910.) [75] The members of this Commission were:--The Rt. Hon. Hugh Childers, Lord Farrer, Lord Welby, the Rt. Hon. O'Conor Don, Sir Robt. Hamilton, Sir Thomas Sutherland, K.C.M.G., Sir David Barbour, K.C.S.I., the Hon. Ed. Blake, M.P., Bertram W. Currie, Esq., W.A. Hunter, Esq., M.P., C.E. Martin, Esq., J.E. Redmond, Esq., M.P., Thomas Sexton, Esq., M.P., and added in June, 1894, Henry F. Slattery, Esq., and G.W. Wolff, Esq., M.P. [76] C. 8262, price 1s. 10d. [77] Lord MacDonnell has estimated the total over-payment of Ireland in the nineteenth century as exceeding L300,000,000. [78] Out of a total tax-revenue of L24,000,000 from 1906-9 Ireland paid no less than L18,000,000 in Customs and Excise. (Inland Revenue Report.) [79] See the Government Outline of Financial Provisions, Appendix A. HOME RULE APPENDICES A. THE HOME RULE BILL OF 1912. B. THE SHRINKAGE OF IRELAND. C. THE ACT OF UNION. D. THE HOME RULE BILLS OF 1886 AND 1893. E. THE IRISH BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. F. THE REDUCTION IN IRISH PAUPERISM. G. THE LAND LAW (IRELAND) ACT, 1881. H. THE CONGESTED DISTRICTS BOARD. J. IRISH CANALS AND RAILWAYS. K. HOME RULE PARLIAMENTS IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. APPENDIX A THE HOME RULE BILL OF 1912. A BILL TO [Sidenote: A.D. 1912.] AMEND the PROVISION for the Government of Ireland. BE it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-- _Legislative Authority._ [Sidenote: Establishment of Irish Parliament.]