The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-14
TIPPLING In ENGLAND.
THE HOUSE DISCUSSES THE
LICENSING BILL

LICENSING BILL.
The Point Raised That the Proposed
Legislation Greatly Increases the
Value of the Property OF the Pub
licans-Compensation Advocated If
Restrictive Action is Taken.
LONDON, June 13-The debate on the
licensing bill was continued in the House of
Commons this evening. There was a long
discussion on Mr.. Acland's proposal to apply
the compensation fund to education. Mr..
Gladstone said it had been asserted, conf
IDENTIFY and loudly, that the bill did not
sanction the principle of compensation. 1t
was mainly on that ground that the govern
ment had commended 1t to the House, while
some supporters had urged that the main
reason for their support was that the bill
did not establish the principle Of compensa-
tion. Chear. hearll He agreed with the
latter. The opponents Of the measure con-
sidered it distinctly retrograde step In
social reform. They looked on the bill as
poison for the people, and demanded that
the funds be applied toward education.
PUBLIcANs' ENDOWMENT BILL.
The ministers had expressed amazemeut
on hearing the measure called the publican s.
name that 30 accurately denoted the pur-
pose Of the bill. 1t was certain that public
house values had already risen through tue
prospects raised by the measure, and he was
equally sure shat the moment it became a
law every public house In the country would
be regarded as worth more than
its market price, and would not be
acquired except at a higher price. [Hear |
Heart Hearll Vast investment by great
prOIriatarU firula In uY1h1fC
monstrous evil. and entirely the growth Of
recent times. These firms had invested in
public houses under some expectation Of a
renewal of their license. The value of this
expectation, it had been declared, rested on
a legal basis, as license might, under the
present law, be annulled without compensa-
tion,
ESTABLISHES A PRINCIPLE.
The bill would tablish the principle that
a license might be bought up by money
from the public taxes at prices virtually
fixed from the license holders. Hear,
hear.] Was not this public house endow-
ment2
Mr.. Ritchie, president of the local gov
ernment board, said: 1--WE do not intefere
with the existing powers Of magistrates"
Mr.. Gladstone-Those are idle words
The government amendment now insisting
that the legal powers of magistrates
remain intact is merely delusive in The face
of the entire new character of the bill. You
might plaster the bill with amendments
like that, but it would not alter the
aim or give the measure a single shred of
value in the eyes of the millions who
oppose it, The amendment really means
endowment Of a gigantic interest at the
expense OF the public purse. 1t would en-
tIrely paralyze all hope Of effecting a re-
ductiol in the number Of public houses
without ruinous cost TO the country. The
government would be wise to withdraw the
measure, regarding which every one is puz-
zled to know why it was introduced.
[Cheers.1
GoSCHEN BLAMEs GLADSTONE.
Mr. Goschen, chancellor of the exchequer,
said that the responsibility for the en-
HANGED value Of public houses rested greatly
with Mr.. Gladstone, who had laid down
the doctrines of compensation.
Mr.. Gladsone-I never spoke on the sub
ject except in connection with local options
and extinction of public houses.
Mr.. Goschen, replying to Mr.. sGladstone's
challenge, supported from Hansard his as
sertion that Mr.. Gladstone had described
license as a vested interest.
After a similar alteration with Sir
William Vernon Harcourt Mr.. Goshen
quoted John Bright as to the injustice of
CtiICtlluk llCcuCo0 SWlbLiOuU ktNIUR COulDbu-
sation therefor. He declared that the
fanatical opposition to the bill was due TO
jealousy. The conservatives were the first
to make a serious attempt to grapple with
the difficult subject. He admitted that the
magistracy were reluctant to shut the public
houses. That was because prominent men
of both parties declared it to be necessity
to compensate the proprietors.
A DANGEROUS PLAYTHING.
Mr.. Gladstone thought the government
was foolish to meddle with the question.
Certainly he. although he had had plenty Of
chances to do otherwise, had carefully
avoided it.
Others having spoken, Mr.. Smith moved
to apply cloture, but the chairman declined
and the debate continued.
Sir George Trevelyan characterized the
bill as the worst proposal of the kind ever
submitted to parliament.
Sir William Vernon Harcourt made an
amusing speech, in which he said that the
government we're aware that the bill was
unpopular, and so were trying to hurry
it through to rid themselves of 1t.
Mr.. Richie moved cloture, which was
adopted, and the proposal was rejected by a
vote of 275 to 243 The announcement Of
the figures was received with repeated
cheers by the opposition members, who
ment majority as a distinct victory for
them.
A COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE.
LONDON, June "a, 3 A. M.-The govern
ment has consented to the appointment of a
committee to examine into tho question Of
compensation in connection with the license
BILL and to report what is proper compen-
sation.
The Chronicle praises Lord Salisbury's
courage in allowing the appointment Of
the committee and in allowing Mr.
Heneages amendment preserving to the
magistracy the power to cancel licenses
without giving compensation.
The Chronicle says these notifications of
Mr.. Goschen's odious proposal to endow
publicans will remove any further excuse
for obstruction.
NBWFOUNDLANDA AND FRANCE.