The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-21
DEFIANCE TO The LORDS.
The Amendments TO the Liability Bill
Rejected.

Is GFebIS0 Win CneerB- B-h9 4akeS
the Ground That the Amendment Put
on the Bill by the Lords Nullihed
the Value of the Rest of tho BnI-The
Vote 225 to 9.
London, Feb. 2O.-Shortly after the
formal opening of the House OF Commons
today, Premier Gladstone arose and
moved the discharge of the order of the
day, which was the consideration of the
amendments that had been made by the
House of Lords to the employers liability
bill
Mr.. Gladstone's motion was greeted
with loud cheers by the supporters of the
government.
Mr.. Gladstone said that he deeply re-
gretted to have to make such motion
and that the government had been obliged
to make so many similar motions, since
they showed that there was a lamentable
degree of divergence between the two
branches or the Legislature. The govern
ment, however, must confront the facts
before them, acting in conformity with
what they believe to be the best interest
OF the people and the dignity of the po-
sitiOn of the House of Commons Sub
y "
Houses on the employers liability bill
was the question of the contracting
out provision of the act. There was
good maxim that 'half loaf was better
than no bread Ii they were dealing
with bill, parts of which were COM
pletely separable, and there was a ques-
tiOn whether they could accept limited
bill, Offering it TO the country rather than
to see the wholeof their labors absolutely
wrecked the position might be different.
But this is not a case of that description
In our view the chief amendment made
by the House of Lords cannot be con-
sidered apart from the general working
of the whole frame of the bill
COMPROMISES THE wORKINGMEN.
Mr.. Gladstone added: "Using a strong
phrase to make my meaning clear, il tends
to poison the working of the BILL and to
seriously compromise the position of the
working people in favor Of their employ
erS. Therefore, / hope this amendment
will be rejected by decisive majority"
At this point Mr.. Gladstone was inter
rupted by cheers from the members on the
government benches.
Continuing Mr. Gladstone said: The
workingmen are directly almost exclusive
ly, interested in the bill, What are their
sentiments concerning the amendment?
The opposition says that workingmen
are divided on the subject.
The existing relations between some
workingmen and the trades insurance
funds have been used as an argument
why the contracting out principle should
be allowed to vitiate the whole bill
These workingmen have been told y-for ia
stance, that the great railway companies
will stop subscribing to the insurance
fund if contracting out should be prohib-
tied. The governments has received as
surances from the official represen ntatives
of every workingman's organization that
they did not dread such result. Their
dominant fear rather was that the bill
would be nullihed by striking contracting
out out of the act"
MIR. Gladstone went over the oft-re-
peated arguments on the necessity of re-
tanning the bill in it's integrity aud con-
cluded by asking the House of Commons
not to waste time on prolonged re-de-
bat con the subject.
BALFoUR REPLIES
A. J. Balfour the conservative leader
in the house, held that the bill contained
more valuable reforms, quite independent
of the contracting out clause. If the gov
ernment believed In these. why, he asked,
did ii desire TO throw them overheard
altogether2 If the government was going
to commit infanticide with the bill
he did not mean in any way TO resist il.
fCheers from the conservatives But,
he added, do not let the government 20
afterward to the country saying what
beautiful bill the opposition destroyed.
DO not let the government praise the vir-
tues of its offices at the moment of cutting
its throat.
MIR. Gladstone has spoken about the
poisonous taint of the bill. II was the
taint of liberty If it were poison, it
would take the poison of free demand
The fact was, the government could not
think the bill spoiled, but the liberal
party want a bone Of contention with the
House of Lords more than they wished to
see the position of the workingmen
ameliorated
That was the choice before the liberals
They had chosen. 1t would rest now not
with the House Of Commons but VITA
the country to determine prolonged
cheering and coUnter-cheerinF. whether
on their own grounds they had chosen
wisely. cheers.
Q CHAMBERLAIN DEFENDS THE LORDS.
Joseph Chamberlain the unionist
leader, said that if the House of Com
mons was decided not to receive any
amendment at all from the House Of
Lords there would be always an oppOrtu-
nifty for collision il the government so
desired The policy of the government in
the present instance was decidedly un-
sound. Mr. Chamberlain declared that
were not going TO rise in wrath against
the upper House because it reserved lib
erty of action to one per cent of the
workingmen
THE MOTION ADOPTED.
Mr. Gladstone's motion was adopted
by vote of 225 to 6.
The debate developed no surprises nor
disappoiutments for any except those who
had given undue regard to the statement
in the Daily Chronicle this morning. If
that statement, which emanated from the
radical group Of the National Liberal
Club, had been verified, it could safely
have been predicted that tho cabinet had
resolved upon the immediate dissolution
of the House Of Commons MIR. Glad
stones known strong constitutional bias,
however, ought to have Kept him from the
suspicion Of springing upon the House a
motion which implied the right OF the
commons toignore the amendments Of the
House Of Lords.
Mr.. Gladstone followed the usual pro-
cedure in simply moving that the bin be
discharged
THE HOUSE PACKED.
Every part Of the house. was packed,
and the spaces outside were crowded
Although experienced members expected
no departure from the regular procedure
Of business, liberal interest was stimu-
lated By the hope OF an oratoricai deliy-
f.asfa