Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-26
THE QUEENS SAVINGS.
Animated Debates on the Royal Grants
MIR. Labouchere's Trenchant Remarks.

The report Of the parliamentary committee
on royal grants was called up in the English
house Of commons yesterday. Right Hon. W.
ii. Smith, the government leader, was ques-
toned as to the amount of the queens savings.
He declined to answer the question and moved
that the report of the committee be adopted.
He contended that the principles on which the
government was acting had been determined
by the compact between the crown and the
people. It was not the duty Of the sovereign
to provide for the members of the royal family
No minister Of the crown during the queens
reign had ever ventured such a suggestion.
When the settlement was made upon the Prince
OF Wales it was never contemplated that the
prince would be called upon TO provide for his
family out of his income. The government
could not believe that any important section of
the people grudged royalty the moderate pro-
Vision necessary to maintain Its dignity. If
they examined the systems of other civilized
countries they would find that the English sys-
tenn was the most economical, giving invalu-
able stability while obtaining the respect of all
English-speaking peoples.
LABoUcHERE BECoNMESDs ROYAL ECONOMY
Mr.. Labouchere moved the adoption Of his
substitute for the committees report, declar-
ing that the sums given the royal family are
already amply sufficient, and that if further
supplies are needed they ought to be provided
through retrenchmcnt in the expenses of the
royal household, and not by fresh demands
upon the taxpayers. He ridiculed Mr.. Smiths
assertion of economy in the English system,
calling attention to the fact that while the
President Of the United States receives only
$4,000 annually, the queen and her family re-
ceiye So, 600. He said the time had come
to deal finally with grants to royalty. The sup
porters of the amendment were determined to
oppose further grants to junior members of the
royal family. He denied that the queen had
any sort OF title to the crown lands If there
was talk about a bargain, his advice to the
crown would be: Take the duchies of Lancaster
and Cornwall altogether and maintain your
family and households.
Lord Randolph Churchill-"We should make
the worst of the bargain"
PROVIDING FOR AN INDEFINITE NUMBER OF
GRANDcHILDREN.
Mr.. Labouchere-"No; the bargain would be
good one" Continuing, Mr.. Labouchere said
that the government admitted the large savings
of the queen from the civil list. Doubtless these
savings were well invested. Even if the queen
had given various sums to her children, enough
was left to provide for the others. The extreme
limit OF the nations grants ought to be the
children OF the sovereign. 1t was impossible
for the country to submit to the burden of
an indefinite number of grandchildren. He
did not complain of Mr. Gladstone's support
ing the grants. The liberals understood MIR.
Gladstone's peculiar and exceptional posi-
ton, and were not surprised at his action
Mr.. Labouchere proceeded to explain how a
reduction of the queens household would
produce the sum necessary to provide for
junior royalties. II the useless offices of lord
chamberlain, lord steward, master of the horse,
master of the buckhounds. eight lords in wait
ing. eight grooms in waiting, four equerries,
and number of others were abolished, an
ample sum would be left for the purpose men
toned There were gentlemen who would be
IL i, -
nothing - MIR. Chamberlain, for instance.
lLaughter.l He trusted that the house, having
regard from the growing sense of the people
that these grants ought not to be tolerated,
would support the amendment
Mr.. Samuel Storey, member for Sunder-
land, radical, seconded the amendment
Mr.. GLADsToSE's REMARKS
Mr.. Gladstone briefly said he was averse to
all measures of economy that impaired the
dignity and splendor of the crown. There
fore. he supported the government. He re-
tOiced that an occasion was given him to testi-
~ in his old age that he did not forget the
services he had borne for many years in con-
nection with his office as representative Of the
Crown
Mr.. John Morley In his address attributed
the fever that had been excited by the question
OF the royal grants to the governments want
OF frankness. Their original proposals were
Supplying, and they had withdrawn from an
Impossible and impractlcable position IN agree
ing TO grant of Ia, 900 in order to prevent a
mischievous friction between parliament and
the crown. He feared that he strained the
pledge given by him 10 his electors but he did
30 on the understanding that no opening would
be LEFT for future claims. Moreover he was
anxious TO avoid parting company with leader
TO whom he was bound by ties OF gratitude and
esteem. The e1travagant grants of former
reigns furnished no excuse for a repetition of
them now. He could not support Mr.. Labou-
ehere because that gentleman implied that the
message from the queen ought never to have
been presented. and he (Morley) desired to
uphold the good forms and traditions of parlia-
ment, but on Monday he would move an
amendment raising the whole question in the
broadcast possible form.
Sir John Gorst, defending the government,
contended that there was actual difference
between the original and the present proposals.
He complained of the waste of time involved in
Mr.. Morley's mode Of procedure.
Mr.. Bradlaugh adjourned the debate.
Mr.. Lincoln, the American minister, and Mr..
ChauEcey NJ. Depew were present in the house
OF commons tonight during the debate on the
royal grants.
KHI.En