Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-09
aoCsE OF COMMONS.
Discussion of the Evicted Tenants Bill
Limited.

LONDON, August 3.-In the House OF
Commons to-day Sir William Harcourt,
Chancellor Of the Eh, cequer, moved
time limit for the discussion OF each
clause of the evicted tenants bill, with
a final closure of the committee stage
August I. In making this motion Sir
William said the government regardeH
the bill as urgent and appreciated the
necessity that the time allotted for
further discussion OF the measure should
be ample. He was not enamored OF ex-
ceptional measures of closure, and re-
sorted to them with sincere regret, but
the fact that there were twenty-five
papes of amendments to the bill justi-
fed the summary procedure. Mr.. Bal
four said that never in the history of
Parliament had there been a proposal
like this. No government had ever
ventured to suggest after only two
davs' debate OF measure in committee
that the House be gagged, yet Minister
making such proposition has thought
it sufficient to express regret in a few
perfunctorv words, giving as the only ap-
proach to reason for the proposal the
| large number of amendments. So, he
said, because the House showed desire
to discuss the bill the discussion must
be stopped. Mr.. Balfour warned the
House that such procedure would in
evitably end in the abasement Of the
House as a legislative body in the eyes
of the country. He moved an amend
ment of regret that the government
should deprive the minority OF their
lust rights and thereby make a fair de-
bate impossible and bring the whole
proceedings into deserved contempt.
MIR. John Morley twitted Mr.. Balfour
with having singularly moved closure
on the bill constituting the Parnell Com
mission. Mr.. Chamberlin said that the
bill had been supported by both sides OF
the House and only obstructed by a
small knot of Irish members. A large
number of amendments to the evicted
tenants bill, he said, were introduced by
Irish members. If these amendments
were rejected, the government would be
! legislating for Ireland against the views
of Irish members. If they were ac-
cepted, the bill would be transformed
far beyond Mr.. Morley's pledges. Mr..
| IJtDOutlltIC uShtu NIuJ W dc lllC use vi
) discussing the bill week after week. 1t
was certain to be rejected by the House
OF Lords. 1t would be better to have
the soonest possible appeal to the country
to settle the question whether the House
of Commons was the master of the
situation or whether its members were
| the subservient and humble servants OF
hereditary laws. Balfour's amendment,
protesting against the brevity of time
allowed for discussion, was rejected.
,, The Unionist members of the House
OF Commons have decided to abstain
/ from further action on the evicted ten
{ ants bill and to refrain from moving
amendments standing in their name.
They will take no part in divisions on
i. the amendments yet to be considered.
!, Many Of them are McCarthyite motions.
n Thus the bill is likely to be virtually dis
= posed of at the end of the week. The
o opposition may possibly raise debate
! on the third reading OF the bill, but
= = they will move no amendments.