4-1896 232-239

III. The Financial Relations Commission of 1894-1896 239-257

XII. THE PRESENT FINANCIAL SITUATION 258-279

I. Anglo-Irish Finance To-day 258-264

II. Irish Expenditure 264-274

III. Irish Revenue 274-279

XIII. FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE 280-306

I. The Essence of Home Rule 280-281

II. The Deficit 281-286

III. Further Contribution to Imperial Services 286

IV. Ireland's Share of the National Debt 286

V. Ireland's Share of Imperial Miscellaneous Revenue 287

VI. Irish Control of Customs and Excise 287-294

VII. Federal Finance 294-300

VIII. Alternative Schemes of Home Rule Finance 300-306

XIV. LAND PURCHASE FINANCE 307-321

I. Land Purchase Loans 307-319

II. Minor Loans to Ireland 319-321

XV. THE IRISH CONSTITUTION 322-338

CONCLUSION 339-341

APPENDIX 342-347

INDEX 348-354

INTRODUCTION

My purpose in this volume is to advocate a definite scheme of
self-government for Ireland. That task necessarily involves an
historical as well as a constructive argument. It would be truer,
perhaps, to say that the greater part of the constructive case for Home
Rule must necessarily be historical. To postulate a vague acceptance of
the principle of Home Rule, and to proceed at once to the details of the
Irish Constitution, would be a waste of time and labour. It is
impossible even to attempt to plan the framework of a Home Rule Bill
without a tolerably close knowledge not only of Anglo-Irish relations,
but of the Imperial history of which they form a part. The Act will
succeed exactly in so far as it gives effect to the lessons of
experience. It will fail at every point where those less