New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-31

ANTS ARBITRATION BILL
LORD sALISBURYs
VIEW AND OTHER
VIEWS
London. August IL
II Is too soon to form az opinion as To the 80.
Of the debate in the House of Lords unon 81.
House Of Lords itself The country may or ma
not resent the rejection OF the Tenants Arh,,,.
ton bill. and the great majority against that hin
may or may not supply fuel for more apit.-
ton against the Second Chamber or ara,n,,
any Second Chambe, But one thing =.
least is tolerably clear and that is the folv =.
trying to represent the House Of Lords as a hoA,
Of incapabes The newspaper which ansvs,.
most completely 10 the idea Of the party has.
does try. The Lords are described as Tal.
luxurious, and irresponsible men, Few epIths,.
could be more awkwardly chosen. But the na,,v
organ, after long hesitation. seems to have see,
the danger OF allowing the lead on such ones.
ton az this &c he taken out Of its hands by thu
far ADLER Journal which. whatever Its fault.
prefers principle to party Arriving belated ana
discredited on the field. the Daily News" seek,
to make mp by Violence for its long hesitation
Not we'll Informed. not careful not accurate
misrepresentation has to do duty for argument
Lord Salisbury says this paper. brought down
the House in roars of laughter by an cxquisitelv
comic description OF tenant being shot in thu
legs" A reader who did not refer 10 the speech
would naturally suppose that Lord Salisbury had
been making fun OF the tenant and his sufYerinea
The entire passage is as follows:
Look at this bill If an old tenant wants I.
be reinstated and there is new tenant or plant.
er in his place, that planters consent must BE- oh.
tanned before the process can be completed I
admit that in saying so am ms spehhs,ng merely
consent will be obtained II will be obtained By
the operation Of rural public opinion. and tho
manner by which rural public opinion operates "a
to drag a man out OF his bed and shoot al bic
legs.
Each reader will judge for himself whether
that does or does not bear out the 40
count OF the party organ; whether the tenant
was made fun OF, or whether there was any
cxquisitely comic description Of tenant being
shot In the legs Having made up his mind on
this point, he will then be in better position to
form an opinion on the nature ri the warfare
carried on not merely against the House u Lords
but against individuals who happen to be MEN,
bers OF that House.
But as I began by saying, the accepted Rad.
cal notion Of attacking an institution Is 10 assal
those who defend 1t or who form part Of 1t. When
a debate occurs in the Lords on a great ques-
ton. they find themselves confronted by diff.
Guilty The debate Is often as great as the ques-
ton. 1t is worthy Of the occasion The bill or
whatever it may be- Is discussed in a large and
adequate way. On both sides very able speeches
are delivered, and there IL Throughout the dis.
cussion that note OF statesmanship which Is not
always heard in similar circumstances In the
that Mr.. Gladstone has quilted the scene. When
an important measure has been introduced ~
Lord Spencer, and when the one side the Duke
OF Argyll Lord Lansdowne the Duke OF Devon.
shire Lord Ha!sbury. and Lord Salisbury have
spoken. and have been answered on the other
by Lord Tweedmouth, the Lord Chancellor and
the Prime Minister. how is the Radical to per.
suade his constituents that all these speeches
go for nothing and that the House OF Lords has
no title to the confidence attention Of the coun.
try? That is the difficulty. and the quotation
have given above is a very good example OF the
way In which the Radical tries to evade II
Whether he does evade 1t Is another matter II
need not be supposed that any great proportion
OF an electorate numbering 100000 read hess
speeches. But the minority who do read them
have the ear of those who do not. The influence
Of such a debate spreads. Some knowledge OF II
filters down among the illiterate or Indifferent
majority 1t is, TO say the least. known that
there has been a debate, and that II has been
very able and informing. and that. as one result
OF II. certain bill has been rejected II Is
known that the House Of Lords has referred the
whole matter TO the people. who otherwise would
have had no chance of making their wishes
known. And so an opinion becomes common mat
a legislative body which both thrashes out
grave subject and then asks the country 10 deter
mine whether II ought to become law or noI
performing useful public service.
In these circumstances the unexpected may
once more happen. I mean by the unexpec'ei
that which Is unexpected by the Radicals. Inc
country may decline to organize Itself into
demonstration against the Legislature or against
one branch OF II. The Liberal party itsef may
hesitate. You will notice that one OK the H'sa
Nationalist organizations. believe the Parneii''
one has again declIred that the British Liberals
do not interest themselves In Irish questions lug
statute-book since 1881. II not before. SHOWS ~"
inaccurate that view Is. But between in'eres"""
themselves In Irish questions and being reaay
start a revolution account OF the rejeeuon "
a particular bill. there Is a difference
probable enough that the predominant par'hs'
az Lord Rosebery once more called EhSaH"
may not care very deeply about the Tenants AT
bitration bill. II Is doubtful whether the M'l''
try are much distressed by Its rejection "h
John Morley excepted. Mr.. Morley Is ne
sincere enough Even the Parnetes wouo a"
NIT that. But the rest OF the Cabinet Kno" 'e'
we'll that England, 50 far as she is ih'e'e''e.
Parliamentary proceedings at all. Is ih'e'es' !.
behalf OF English measures. IL she mas ho'
made up her mind what 10 do about the iouse "
Lords she may not feel impelled - come
decision at once because bill. based on uo"'
full principle and containing many provisions
questionable expediency and questionable JUSTICE
has been defeated by an Overwhelming majority
OF the Upper Chamber.
The debate ran It's full course and drew ou' a.
Won have seen. some eight or ten Of the o''.
orators I'm the Lords Lord Salisbury compa'"'"