The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-14
EVENTS BEYOND THE OCEAN.
MR. aLADSToNE'S SPEECH AGAINST
THE LICENSING BILL

He CritIcises the Compensation Feature
and Declares that it Is Practically an
Endowment OF Public Houses-The Gov
ernment's MsJorIty AgaInst Mr. Acland'S
Proposal OnIy ThIrty-two.
LONDON, June 13.-The debate on the Ii
censinR bill was continued In the House OF
Commons this evening" There was long dis
cussion on Mr.. Acland's proposal to apply tho
compensation fund to education. Mr.. Glad
stone said 1t had been asserted confidently and
loudly that the bill did not sanction the rrin-
ciple OF compensation. 1t was mainly on that
ground that the Government had commended
It to the House. while some supporters had
urged as the main reason for their approval
that the bill did establish the principle OF com
pensation. Hear. hear.l He agreed with the lat
ter The opponents OF the measure consloereu
It distinctly retrograde step In social REFORM
They looked upon the bill as poison for the
people and demanded that the funds be ap-
piled toward education. The Ministers had
expressed amazement on hearing the measure
oalled the Publicans' Endowment bill. lie hau
not hoard any name that 30 accurately de-
noted the purpose OF the bill. 1t was certain
that public-house values had already risen
through the prospects raised by the measure
and he was equally sure that the moment IL
became a law every public house In the coun-
try would be regarded as worth more than the
market price, and would not be acquired OK
cent at higher price. r. Hear, hear.
The vast investment by great proprietary
firms In public houses was monstrous owl
and entirely the growth OF recent times 1hese
firms had invested In public houses under some
expectation OF q renewal OF license. The value
OF this expectation. 1t had been declared, rested
on no legal basis as the license might unuer
the present law, be annuled without compen-
sation. The bill would establish principle tnat
licenses might be bought up by money from
license holders. r. Hear. hear."l Was not this
ppblic;hoqfe ePdoTmentf Cheers 6sd, Govern.
MT sRe So ent nf With the
MIR. Gladstone-These are idle words. The
Government amendment now inserted. tnat
dslqsjyss in n,. Tho face tEs bi IF
t ah en Rmend G s0H like shs Would
not not alter the aim nor give the t., meas as
ure single shred vb Of or TSHs II hhee
s snee mt really means the endowment Of a
gigantic Interest at the expense OF the public
e eesspa w reduoton in the number Of public
houses without ruinous cost to the connt u.
measure es regarding which every one is puzzled
to know why it was introduced: Cheers
Mr.. Goschen. Chancellor OF the EAcheuuer;
| eaid that the responsibility for the enhanced
| value OF public houses rested greatly win MI
Gladstone VINO had laid down the doctrine OF
'f Sir. pGladstone-I never spoke on the subject
! except in connection with local option ana the
extinction of public houses: c,-,-,a
challenge supported from Hansard his, asser-
ton that Mr.. Gladstone had described licenses
As After a similar alteration with Sir William
! Vernon Harcourt.. MIR; Goschen quoted John
Bright as to the injustice OF cancellng LICENSES
w,ft6our irving com pensatfon therefor. He de-
Sared thai the ianaticai opposition to the
| bill was due to jealousy. The Conservatives
the s If hs su s sf5SHs Hs
ted that the magstracy were reluctant to shut
public houses. That was because conspicuous
OF both parties rte Me-
neddlo with the Question Certainly he, a. a.
Otherwise. had carefully ssyoided ,i t. norod ~
apply cloture but the Chairman decilheu' anu
'I Sir Sieoree Treveiyan characterized the bill
as the worst proposal OF the Kind ever supmit-
| compensation be given for disturbance IN
| volvinR thousands instead OF millions. Inc
| bill was a severe blow to the cause OF temper
| ance, and met with the opposition OF the mass
Of the people. who objected to monopnlsts get
| ing the capital value OF their monopolies In ad-
ui Stp William Vernon iarcourt made an anus
ing speech In which he said that the Govern
| ment were aware that the bill was unpopular,
and 80 we're trying to hurry rtnrouGn TO rio
MI. Ritchie moved cloture. which was adopt
ed. and Mr.. Acland's proposal was telected-
| 375 TO 249 The announcement OF the nRureS
| was received with repeated cheers by the OPP
| position mem bers. who regarded the cutting
down Of the Government majority as distinct
Two Conservatives and several Unionists
| supported the Acland proposal. Many Con-
seryatives we're absent at the state concert