New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-21
AND THE LORDS.
y. MILDLY WORDED SPEECH IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS

ABOLITION OF THE UPPER HOUSE
THE PEERS HAVING NULIIFIDD
THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL.
HE MERELY MOVES ITS
DISCHARGE - LIVELY
SPEECH BY MR..
BALFoUR
london. Feb 2O-Shortly after the formal
onening of the House Of Commons to-day Mr..
gladstone arose and moved the discharge Of
the order Of the day-the consideration os the
amendments made by the Lords to the En-
Movers Liability bill. Mr. Gladstones motion
was greeted with loud cheers by the supporters
OF the Government.
Mr.. Gladstone said that he deeply regretted
n have to make such a motion. and that there
was a lamentable degree of divergence between
the two branches os legislation The Govern
ment. however, must confront the facts before
them acting in conformity with what they be-
lieved to be the best interests Of the people and
the dignity of the position of the House of Com
mons Substantially. the difference between the
two houses on the Employers Liability bill was
the question of contracting out Of the provision
OF the act There a good maxim that
'half a loaf was better than no bread"
If they We're dealing with bill in parts which
were completely separabe. and there a
question whether the House of Commons could
accept limited bill. Offering It 20 the country
rather than to the whole of its labors abso-
lutely wrecked. the position might be different.
But this is not a case Of that description"
said Mr.. Gladstone. 'In our view the chief
amendment made by the House of Lords cannot
be considered apart from the general working
OF the whole frame OF the bill"
Mr.. Gladstone added: Using strong phrase
10 make my meaning clear. j; tends to poison
the working Of the bill and seriously to compro-
mise the position Of working people in the face
Of their employers. Therefore. 1 hope this
amendment will be rejected by decisive
majority"
At this point Mr. Gladstone was interrupted
by cheers from the members on the Government
benches
Continuing. he said: The workngmen are di-
rectly. almost exclusively. interested in the bill
What are their sentiments concerning the amend
ment? The Opposition says that the working
men are divided on the subject The existing
relations between some workmen and the trades
insurance funds have been used argu-
ment why the contracting-out principle should
be allowed to vitiate the whole bill. These work.
men have been told. for instance. that the great
railway companies will stop subscribing 10 the
hibited.
"The Government has received assurances from
the official representatives, Of every working
mans organization that they did not dread such
q result Their dominant fear rather was that
the bill would be nullified by allowing contract
ing out of the act
ments on the necessity of retaining the bill in
its integrity and concluded by asking the House
of Commons not TO waste time on prolonged re-
Mr.. Balfour, the Conservative leader, held
that the bill contained many valuable reforms
quite independent OF the contracting-out clause
II the Government believed in these. why, he
asked, did 1t desire 10 throw them overheard all
together? If the Government was going to COM
nit infanticide with the bill. he did not mean in
any way to resist it. Cheers from the Conserva
tives) But. he added. do not let the Government
aiterward go 10 the country saying what beau
tiful bill the opposition destroyed Do not let the
Government praise the virtues Of its offspring
at the moment OF cutting its throat. MIR. Glad
stone had spoken about the poisonous ta!nt Of the
bill. 1t the taint OF liberty. If 1t was Poison
II was the poison OF freedom. tCheers) The !
fact that ;he Government could not thnki
the bill spoiled. but the Liberal party wanted e
bone Of contention with the House Of Lords NOR =
than they wished to see the position Of the wori c;
:ngmea ameliorated. That was the choice befoI n
the Liberals. They had chosen. and il wOu "
rest now not with the House Of Commons. III Il
with the country. to determine prolonged chee I;
ing and counter-chee-ing) whether on their oNl %
grounds they had chosen wisely (CheersJ j
Joseph Chamberlain, the CniOnist leader Sf q
that If the House OF Commons was decided q
10 receive any amendments at all from G.
House Of Lords there would always be p
opportunity for collision. If the GOvernm' y
50 desired. The policy Of the Government. Il
the present instance was decidedly unsou
Mr.. Chamberlain declared that he was / Il
fcc;ly certain that the people We're not gs b
TO rise in wrath against the upper house becae
1t reserved the liberty Of action to per 4. r
of the wOrkingmen.
The motion made by Mr. Gladstone Il
adopted by vote Of 225 to 6.
The Conservatives did not take part in
division. Walter McLarcn. Radical. said It
he would divide the House If he could goa
teller with him. as he did not think thatle | I
whole responsibility rested on the Housof | c
Lords Mr Seton-Karr. Conservative. offd =
to Join with him a teller. ThereupOn 3l- .
vision was taken.
The debate developed surprises nor s. a
appointments for any, except those who td :
given undue regard TO the statement in ne
Daily Chronicle" this morning. If that ste .
ment which emanated from the Radical CUP
Of the National Liberal Club. had been RI d
fed IL could safely have been predicted lat Q
the Cabinet had resolved upon immediate 60
luton of the House OF Commons. with rorm 4,
OF the House of Lords the sole piv' or q
the elections Mr.. Gladstone's known song I
constitutional bias however. should hawaii I
solved him from the suspicion OF sprlngingp1n !
the House n motion which implied the Bht
of the Commons 70 ignore the amendmer OF 6
the House Of Lords. Mr. Gladstone folwcd /
the usual procedure in simply moving th' the =
bill be discharged. =
Every part of the House was packed and
the spaces outside were crowded. Althoui eN- l
perienced members expected no dcparturd'oih
the regular procedure of business. LiberabieT, J
est was stimulated by the hope Of an or%ilcii
deliverancc from Mir Gladstone again thc
House Of Lords. The effect Of his she, re- ]
strained epeech therefore was rather ching.
Mr. Bafour. on the contrary, livened the
House especially when. In touching Il real I
core Of the question. he accused the N,,, o.v.n- .
ment Of using the bill as a weapon oflttacK
upon the Peers. .
This evening the House rejected scriam the
ma jorlty Of the Lords amendments the
Parish Councils bill.
COMMENT on THE SPEECH.