The Scots and the lords.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 11

The Scots and the lords.

LANDHOLDERS'BILL. 'LIBERAL RESENTMENT. The rens jn why . tile British Liberal Premior, Hairy Campbell-Banner' man, selected Edinburgh in order , tft 'mako .his" first public appearanco sinch •tho prorogation is fairly clear; Scotch Liberals, accord inr to a correspondent .'whp . 'wrbto l i.ni'iuguit to .'. the Man , Chester Guardian,".: feels the loss of the Scottish. Land' Bill through tho treatment ■it got from tho 'House of, Lords; and the Premier's attack on; that -body, delivered on October should theroforo have fallen on sympathetic oars, writes the ."Guardian's" correspondent;—; - - ' '. . .^ . ' TREND OF PY-ELECTIONS. As the t'suit' of tho action of the :Housq of Tiu'ds in.regiird to tho Scottish Small Landholders' Bill, there will bti' a vigorous ; T 'bornl campaign ; in Scotland this autumn. It cannot, b:said .that'.tho 1093 of the Small Land/ hoidors'. Bill was unexpected,'. for - tho wore ODunmisf beforehand. Bu. .the,'manner in,which thePeors.brough itiabout w>is unexpected; and. in.Scot tisli Liberal quariprs. t-is,folt to haye aflded insult to injury. • The assumption that ran fll throaith the speeches ,fron. itii'e s'do, iriclucling thoso'of Lord Rosabery and Lord Balfour 11 Burleigh, ".as that tlioro was no eager ■desire "in Scotland' for tho Gbvernmerii Bill,'and-that, 'n point of fact,'th v ■House of J'.rds »now bettor what Scot; 'land-wanted*in tho ; way of- sriialli'hold-

lugs than did . the' elected ropresonta 'tivos of the people. Tho idea is ' pre postorons." Tlio ' Scottish 'SccMtary in Produced .his Bill last yoar ;in a firs* •edition;, and tho main propbsals wor? ( discussed 'in every '.constituency ir 'Scotland. ' Only tivo contested by-elec-itions- liavo t nken place in- Scotland since ;tho ■ Goner.il Election and South Abardeeh: In tho latter thev-i was dispute in '.lie Liberal ranks,;» three-cornered fight, and a drop in th ; Liberal majority. But here tlio larii question,', formed- no great ; 'factor in- the' contest. In Banffshire! •on •the , ! other , hand, : -the \ land.-'ques-tion ■' was a , burning . one,;' and : Mr;. Black's record Liberal, majority pfj 2200 only fbll off (by 191. votes. Tho 'successful -candidate,' Captain .Wanrig,./approved of tli6 ; Scottish SecretaryTs;Bill, and '.tlio Tory ■ candidate. advocated v. a great State land' purchase scheme. . \ A RED HERRING. ;

! Thoproposalof tLo Lords to . extend vtiie Crofters.tp,y the-".Highland' counties conies too..late., \ It was niado 'twenty.; years; ago', by-Sir/ George. Treve-' ']yan,\whon/a. : member of Mr. I Glad-, stone's Government,/ but.., his' Dill was 'then 'stoutly opposed,, by the men, now. 'pbsing,' : as ' the," crofters'' ■ friends. I ' do.: not;.'deny ..that' this : year the ,Government'/might . have', more. easily, passed a emallo.rraeasiireV; : But:-having,brought 'was.'quitc irtipoSsible.fpr' them something"totally different at. the' dictation,of a, Ghambir'of- landlords. -, : As;in : tho>:L'ords;V so :in \ the Scottish Grand Conlmitteo' ofi the'. Commons,' the efforte of: the .'Opposition, were .directed'notto '&itf6ndiAgl * 0 tl : 'ansfptming! , fit':.''int6". / sftmethingalto-' gether different.The ;difrorencp between ''the, English and Scottish : Land ■Sills'Has'befeniuseil as a."grOat;argiimont 1 'against -'tho Scottish Bill.But thfc liiws of the two coimtries/are .quite different * in-mahy 1 ways, v criminal'.- v S6/is :! tlii6? , fi f cot : Bifeif l "bjitsltf^f! leasing and' land/ tenured-anil cropping different fr6m that" Of JUilgland. Scotlhnd' has: not'i.taken- .into. consideration at'all/the !dctailsVof ,the, .English Land 8i11,.-and. .it : ;WOuld arouse a. storm, t of. Opposition; totry-.to..foist, its provisions .upon Lowland. Scotland,, at this stage,. l-;am"/jbfld,^haji- I "iMrftftc4s , have -bean-. Liberals all over itlib, :Higblimd 'cbunties of ; loyal/support., ito !vtho.. Government - in , dropping , the whole Bill, r&ttier than' acctpt:a,matilated /.fragment.' | .The. "red-herring" put' forward to. try- to catch the -.moiiibersV for /the" crofting. counties - is too patent; to beguilp.evenitho simple- High-

\ ■■■ LITTLE BAND OF TWELVE.;;>;■ ). -Prom close', observation;of indications of, public opinion, and)from, enquiries *L have: made tin- the best-informed ,~<piar-'tersf-.lultdieVojthpro' is .a far, stronger force ,jn Scotland behind: the Governifterit. Bill than,the -Tories are aware'of.: It, is true'the laiitls and the big farmers, standipg.' together-; and; Well,; financed,, nave made a stout fight, and havo been able to find' Voluminous: expression fOr their -views in.-the, Press. ....The quiet: working men 1 , 1 the'crOfters and . farm sfirvaht3,''do;noti'so;rcadily,make : thoir wishes Icnowii. All the's'anie,' by meetings'- ,in different parts of .'Scotland, . jit' 'meetings"with', members. ';.'of' Parliament;, .•;.ahH ; ,'by. ' a : great national Liberal conference' at .Perth,' they have backed tho Government Bill.:, Then we .have, the uridqubted'fact', which, cannot be; got 'over,'that'the .Scottish county. Councils have left the .Tory Allotments . Act of ' fifteen' ybars'. ago- a'.dead letter.. Only in one coUnty'in Scotland , have they r provided - a .single - allotment,' and in that case,'! believe, the, council has provided something . liko .twenty-jive. .That' is :why 1 a Land Court is necessary,' as.proposed; by. Mr. Sinclair's. Bill, i i Tho confident,dxppctatiOn,in Scotland is'.that'thci, purposo. of reintroducing the Small Landholders' Bill will; ,be carried .pvt;,next, session. ,; -The Conservative pfeirfcy have, only • twelve soats'- to'loss in- Scotland—a -fact-, the Lords .and; their advisprs probably had in mind., in. giving different treatment to .the Scottish Bill and ,the. English. 'But''.if- tho. Lords : again deal 'with .the Scottish Bill as they .have .done -this session, it is possible;.that ;at the -next General; Election ,that little band : of twelve .will become smaller still. .: