The Select Committee of Twenty-four, of which Mr. Goschen has
accepted the Chairmanship, will be one of the most important that ever sat. It was originally intended that it should inquire into the expediency of legislative interference with the leasehold tenure of houses,—a largo enough subject of itself, considering that proposals are afloat for allowing lessees to purchase their houses against the owners' will. The House, however, recently ordered the Committee also to inquire into the leasehold tenure of lands ; and this week it has further directed that it shall inquire whether ground rents ought not to be directly rated, a proposal for which, if fair notice were given to recent purchasers, a good deal might be said. Mr. Goschen's presence as Chairman is a security that nothing rash will be proposed ; but even he may go farther than is expected. We deduce from his recent speech that he despairs of keeping up the present system of leaseholds, and wishes to protect property by a large increase in the num- ber of householders. He is perfectly right in theory, but how he is to secure the end without a direct breach of the tacit contract by which the State protects property, we fail to see. The dispute about price is a detail, the true question being whether the State has a right to compel a man to sell his watch because ten other persons want it. We say, " No ! "
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