New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-23
THE NEWS IN LONDON.
rr.ruREs OF THE DEBATE ON THE PAh-
NELL BILL.
Mr.. otApsroNE's DISAPPOINTING srhh. ~
CESS OF Mr.. MATTHEws-GA"pAo"'
HONORABLE DEFEAT.
ThY GABLE TO THE TRIBUNE.J

HONORABLE DEFEAT
TKy CABLE THE TRrBUSE1
1oxnox. Sept. 22-The two days debate on ar.
p.rna,,. Tenant Relief bill has been but a languid
s,o,cs Tho House was neither crowded nor
P,.d ar Parnell stated his case IN iucid'
S;...like speech, moderate in tone ana piaus-
.,,o rather than, for House of Commons purposes
.;nc;ug There was, indeed after all the pre-
,minsry discussion, certain air OF uureahty a"ou'
,ha debate Negotiations had fallen through WIN
,bs Government, or certain members OF the uoV
.romsnt originally inclined to grant concessions
fouod Mr. Parnell's price higher than they cou'a
.ao,d to give Lord Harrington stood out aga'nst
~, srr,ender in Ulster and the Tories threatened
- mrtinv Mr. Parnel himself, as the Tories
.houuht. had no real wish to come to terms. Their
y;ew ha, always been that Mr.. Parnell preferred
his hill should not pass. He wanted 1t, they said'
"a a basis for o winter campaign. There Is no
.racs in Mr. Parnell's speech Of any such purpose
Int there we're many hints in the Tory speeohes
that redress of actual grievances was not Mr far-
nells chief object. The Irish leader surprised the
Uouse by saving that he regarded the first as the
mo,t important section of his bill-that which al
lows any statutory tenant whether IN danger VI
eviction or not to apply to the court Tor an aoate-
,e,t of rent This howeve or. like other provisions
., the bill rests on the alleged inability OF tenants
20 nav their present rents, owing to the fal III
nroes of agricultural produce. That was tne Ques-
tion TO which Mr.. Parnell had addressed himself.
His ease is that there has been very mark cd ran
in the prices Of the chief articles OF lrish produce
ourpg the last two years Butter Is down z! POI
cent beef Is per cent,pork 20. nation ls' woo ~
and stock 90 and the result Is says Mr.. Parneli'
.hat the land Act of 1881 has proved Of absolutely
no benefit to the Irish farmer-a remark whlon NIX.
Gladstone hardly reished. Rents under that act
have been reduced 10 per cent, but prices nave
fallen an average of % per cent. Mr. farneirs
stronyest argument perhaps, as based on the 1act
that the Land Courts are now actually reducing
rents on an average 33 per cent lower than during
1854 The landlords themselves. or the oest o'
them are doing this voluntarily. Ike the Engiish
landlords under similar circumstances. returning
to their tenants large percentages OF thelr ren''
Those who srefuse to make concessions are IN the
minoritv Mr. Parnel admits, but evicticns Will
nevertheless increase in number during the winter
IL is against this minority OF landlords wEo want
the last pound of esh that Parliament Is asked TO
protect the tenant
Many are the answers made TO this startling array
of facts but generalities are opposed to details.
Lord Harrington, Sir Michael Hicks Beacn ana
others urce that this fall in prices began before the
rents now complained of were fixed Ihey aliege
that. admitting a fall in prices. the total yield mas
increased and that receipts Of tenants nave III
creased accordingly. They urge In support OF TINS
view that tenants have proved their ability to pay
great prices for tenant right, call attention 10 the
increase in savings bank deposits and even contend
that the la,ge subscriptions to the Land League
and the large expenditure for drink prove that
the tenants are prosperous SIT Michaei HICKS
Reach denied that MT. Parnell had proved bis case,
and affirmed that his bill really ole for reducing
Irish rents so per ent. He did not deny that
large classes of tenants unable 20 pay rent,
but insisted that the reason of their inability
ought to be inquired into. This the Governmeht
rroposed to do by their commission, which. as Mr.
paruell had shown. cannot report IN time lot any
legislation to take effect before November, 1881.
Tenants meantime would be left to their tate.
Finally Sir Michael met Mr., ParnelPs prophecy con-
cernng disturbances if the bill were rejected by
distinct intimaton that Parliament would, II nee
esslry be summoned together in the winter ana
the Government would ask for fresh powers I'd
deal with crime 1t was from John Morley that
Nh Parnell got his most effective support MT
Gladstones speech was the most DISAPPOINTING
feature of the whole debate Forcibe as much oil
il WAS lie chose to rest the great part of his case
on disputed construction OF Lord Sahsoury
statement that the House of Lords declined 10 iehd
its sanction 10 anything more than the principle OF
Mr. Parnells bill. lie criticised It's details ana re-
served the right of dealing as he liked with the
measure in committee. where he well knew it
vould never appear. Aud yet Mr. Gladstone, IN
effect granted Mr. Parnelrs contention and refuted
many hostile arguments whom he declared that Tie
case had been male out for legislation OF some
kind aud that tenants required relief to some
extent
suspect that Lord Randolph Churchill, who
tonohes public opinion closer than most OF his col
leagues. would have preferred to cut the ground
from under Mr. Parnefs feet by such compro-
mise as would have met the most urgent. iInlnedi-
ate grievances aud deprived the League OF basis
for agitation Such a compromise would. believe,
have been acceptable TO "a majority OF the English
people who would have regarded 1t as promise OF
peace tor the coming wiuter. The majority Oh
ninety five which threw out Mr. Parnells Dill mas
81 ven him every political inducement to prove MS
forebodngs of disaster true A leading memoer OF
the Irish party is reported as saying that the lrsh
now have free hand, tenants will decide for them
selves what rent they can pay. the League Will ior-
bid the payment of nythng beyond this. the Gov
erpment will proclaim the League and social var
will once more begin.
Mr. Matthews's speech was q feature OF the de-
bate. liz was his first important appearance since
he was taken from the bar and promoter by Lord
Randolph Churchill to one OF the greatest ohces Oh
the State. The House heard him with that jealous
curiosity always accorded to man of great outside
reputation which he has to justify before new and
most exacting tribunal with a standard OF its own
Mr. Matthew's success was complete. He had to
answer Mr.. Gladstone and he aus wered him WELL
His speech was an admirable debating speech, not
too lawyerlike. full of animation and 10 the point
When he eat down the House was satisfied. Lord
Randolph Churchill knew what he was about when
he made Mr. Matthews Homo Secretary.
The news from Sophia reads if Austria were
taking a line of her own in secretly profering
suranoos Of support to the Regency. NJ Stam-
boulof's declarations to the Russian Consul are
those of courageous, clear-headed leader but the
tone Of independence he assumes is almost rash
unless OIL the theory that he knows the Powers