St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-16
Principles That Will Prove
Futile and Dangerous
as Well.
Gladstone Denounces Gosch-
ems Indemnity Scheme
as Wei Gus.
Germany is Discreet Enough
Not to Claim the Whole
Of Africa.


sumed the debate GA the licensing ques
ton. He asked what publieans hae
done that they should be rewarded
The country had hitherto pen
stoned men for killing the enc
mics Of the nation. The bill unde
discussian would pension those who
were daily active in killing their fellow
countrymen. 1t would lead to an i'm
mensity of evils and further public deg.
fegation, corruption and jobbery. Ii
the government decided to diminish the
curse of drinking, let them take the adj
vice of temperance men how to do so.
Mr.. Matthews, home secretary, defended
the compensation clauses On the grounds
of expectancy and legality. Mr.. Glad
stone saw no necessity for treating this
matter as a party question. He gave
Mr.. Goschen credit for sincerity in hl:
attempt to lessen the evils of the liquor
trade. The means proposed were ut
terly futile and extremely dangerous.
The question was gradually assuming
larger dimensions in the public view
The tide of public opinion against the
liquor traffic was fast rising. The bill
itself ought to instil in the minds OF
those concerned in vast proprietary
liquor interests prudential considera-
tions as to tbs policy of opposing
public opinion. Allusion had been
made to remarks of his. ten years ago,
in favor OF compensation. Since then
the law had been settled in manner
wholly nnfayorable to the doctrine of
vested interests. He certainly
never contemplated approving a
bill such as this, which pro-
posed the purchasing of number of
public houses on any terms that the pro-
prietors were willing to accept. The
bill might fairly be described as "a
bill for. the endowment of public
houses" 1t was said that the pubiicans
would not be entirely
Masters of the Situation,
as magistrates might refuse to grant
licenses to those who refused to sell on
the terms offered by the county coun-
els. Would the government put an
to the bill to that effect?
1t was also argued that the money for
the purchase of public houses would be
derived from drink itself. Ever since he
had known the conntry'S finances it
had been recognized principle that
a duty which would most limit con-
sumption should be imposed upon
spirits. Therefore. the highest duty
that could be levied was already pre-
engaged for public funds. Besides, he
did not believe that any bench magis-
traces would refuse to renew a license
because the holder would not accept
the county councils price. AT the most
the bill would produce a tritiing
pn Of nj frC
1t a county council bought
one public house for "a large
sum, it would be utterly impossible for
to refuse to renew the
license of another similarly placed.
Thus the magistrates control would be-
come parafysed. The measure would
raise new barrier, forInid-
able beyond anything existing, to tenn
perance legislation. AS the law now
stood the pubiicanS had no claim for
arising from any con-
tingency to which they were sub
ject. The magistrates had absolute
power to refuse to renew licenses.
How, then, could parliament appropri-
ate money to purchase licenses on the
terms of the holderse The bill was bad
in principle. and il was utterly unsup-
ported 10y precedent. A comparison
had been made with the West Indian
measure. What Wonld
parliament have said to the placing
Of 920, 00o,000 in the hands of the
public authorities to enable them to 20
around among the slave owners emanci-
pating any slaves whose owners they
could satisfy regarding the price to be
paid? In conclusion he said the present
is SO framed that it will par
aiyze every valuable principle embodied
in the existing law. 1t will throw back
The Temperance Cause,
the progress of which is Row registered
from day to day, and in the great future
triumph of which we have undon1ted
Sir William Vernon-Har-
court contended that the bill was vote
If eensure on past magistration. He
absolved the magistracy from such a
heavy accusation. Ii the second read
ng of the bill was carried, it would only
De the beginning OF the bat
lie. The opposition intended to
tight to the end, and to offer persistent
md determined resistance at every
stage. The magistraey were withdraw
ng hundreds of licenses on grounds Of
public interest alone, therefore the
that publicans had a vested
interest was untenable. Mr.. Smith,
irst lord of the treasury. said the
government had successfully encoun-
ered the terrorS of opposition in the
past, and hoped to be able to do
50 in the future. During the past
i've years only 432 full licenses
had been refused throughout England
and Wales. There was no foundation
ior Sir William Harcourt's statement
hat hundreds were refused Oh other
grounds than misconduct. La five years
,nly forty-siX licenses had been with
irawn on the ground that the houses
we're not required. In twenty of these
Eases the proprietors had appealed. and
fifteen of them had regained their
licenses. Thus, out of total of 67,125
public houses, the withdrawal of only
i've licenses were sustained against the
appeal that it would be an act of per-
;onal injustice to send men starving
lpon the world by depriving them of
heir licenses. The bill would not in
he least degree
Paralyze the Power
# the magistracy.. The country would
ustain no scheme involving total pro-
libition. Mr.. Gaines motion to reject
he local taxation bill, dealing with pub
leans licenses, was defeated-339 to
66. The bill then passed the second
eading. After the division, Mr.. Healy
moved that the speaker leave the chair
n order to enable the house to go into
on the Irish agricultural Ia
,orers' bill. Several members objected,
md the speaker represented that
DIR. Healy's proposal was useless.
dr. Healy insisted, however, and |
he speaker left the chair. The house |
hen went into committee of the whole |
With William Lawies Jackson, member
or North Leeds, in the chair. More |
objections were then raised, and Mr.. |
Jackson vacated the chair. but the |
peaker declined to return. There WAS |
deadlock for few moments, which |
vas ended by Mr.. jackson resuming the |
hair. After the FIRST clause of the bill /
lad been read, progress was reported. |
few UDi0niSts and Conservatives and |
ii of the Parnellites supported Mr.. |
,aine's motion. Several members alb |
tanned from yotiHg.