The sun., 1908-03-22

loyalist, with a spirit worthy OF q more
commercial age, sold pretended fragments
Of II 10 the friends OF the StuRrts.
At the Restoration the statue was pro-
duoed uninjured and In 1914 erected in
triumph. Its situation gives Il further
hold upon our imagination and sense Of the
dramatic in history, for Charles is actually
pointing with his baton 10 the very window
In the still existing banquetting house
Of tho Palace Of Whitehall from which he
stepped to the scafold
On Monday night the postal officials at
the House OF Commons could hardly cope
with the avalanche Of public house petitions
addressed to individual members against
the licensing bill. Some members received
as many as fifty apiece Of these documents
sent from different public houses in their
constituencies and signed by customers.
A printed form was generally used, I'VE
the undersigned, lifelong Liberals, and
we the undersigned. who voted Liberal
at the last election" we're the favorite
openings. Many Of the petitions seem TO
have been the result OF canvass OF the
previous Sundays customers.
As for Asquth Chancellor Of the Ex-
chequer. he Ia being showed under with
petitions. and last night issued a petition
himself through the different news agencies
desiring them TO state that he is daily re-
ceiving resolutions and other communica-
tions too numerous 10 permit Of individual
acknowledgment from all parts Of Eng land
and Wales on the bill
The bill does not apply 10 Scotland, but
II as its supporters contend II will make for
temperance, it might be well II 1t applied
TO the country north Of the Tweed One Of
the Edinburgh Magistrates, Baile Steven
son, has been supplying some remarkable
figures concerning the local drink traffic.
He points out that the convictions for
drunkenness in Scotland during 1906 num-
bered IS, 600, an Increase Of more than 9,OO0as
compared with 1905 end an equally lament
able fact was that Of these 1900 we're
convicted Of this offence for the first time.
The same steady increase had been going
ON in Edinburgh until last year, when 6.9sS
persons were convicted Of drunkenness
In the local courts an increase Of $50 over
the previous year
His experience as a magistrate In the
police court had brought home TO him in
direct way some idea Of the waste OF
money, especially by the labor ing classes,
on strong drink. On recent Monday
morning he had seventy-eight persons
nity-eight men and twenty women-beiore
him charged with drunkenness.
The BaiGe thinks one Of the most pain
full and distressing facts In connection with
the drinking custom is the growing habit
Of intemperance among women. Last year
there we're ?, ,434 convictions recorded against
women in Edinburgh for drunkenness, an
increase of l2S over 1905 and 2l6 more than
in 1905. Over one hundred we're convicted
Of being drunk in charge Of a child. Among
the many contrbutory factors 70 female
drunkenness the Bailie specially mentions
two-the large number Of grocers licenses
and the abuse Of the jug bar.
II the scare caused by the licensing Dill
leads 10 the much needed reform Of the
British public house many people will
have cause TO bless the efforts Of the sober
at any cost party. Watson Rutherford,
Unionist member for Liverpool. viii move
an amendment TO the bill declaring that
the policy OF Parliament should be directed
toward requiring all licensed houses to
become convenient clean, comfortable,
sufficiently large 10 enable the business TO
be carried on decently, TO be provided with
tables and chairs, games and music, in
order that customers may have induce
ments not SO much for drink consumption
as for respectable entertainment,
II Mr.. Rutherfords plan is adopted the
British public house as at present con-
sututed, with its stand up bars, sawdust
covered floors, total lack Of comfort. alb
sence of sitting accommodation and gem