The Reform Bill for Scotland was introduced on Monday night. .
The borough franchise is the same in form as the English, but it will work rather differently. There are no compounding Acts in Scotland, but as a rule the tenant who pays less than 41. a year pays only half the rates, the landlord paying the other half, and will have to claim his place on the Register. Much is made of this difference, but in truth, as we have shown over and over again, it matters very little. Both in England and Scotland any householder can obtain the franchise if he chooses, without fine and with very little trouble, and all the chatter about restrictions is simply intended to deceive Conservatives. The county occupa- tion franchise is reduced as in England,—the Scotch freehold limit remaining at 121. instead of 21.—but redistribution is to be very differently provided for. Mr. Disraeli, in the most serene manner, without even taking the trouble to explain his reasons, increases the number of the House of Commons by seven, giving two of the new seats to the Universities of Edinburgh cum St. Andrew's and Glasgow cum Aberdeen; one to Glasgow, which is to be divided; one- to the Falkirk, and one to the Kilmarnock burghs. The remain- ing three will be given to Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Aberdeen- shire. This proposal is not liked in Scotland, but it seems to be accepted by Scotch members as an endurable compromise.
