Mr. Gibson, who is rising fast in the Tory ranks,
on Tuesday made a political speech at Burton-on-Trent. He charged the Ministry with increasing expenditure by two millions a year,— a result entirely of the previous Ministry's policy,—and de- nounced its policy in the Transvaal as one involving national humiliation, but his main topic was the Irish Land Bill. He approved of the clauses assisting peasant-proprietors, but thought that the Bill "secretly, and without frankness," granted the "three F's." "Fixity of tenure, masked and disguised, but real, was in the Bill." The State treated all landlords, good and bad, alike, and vast amounts of property would be expropriated for the benefit of tenants. He did not deny the State's right, but maintained that there should be compensation. No provision had been made to recover the vast amount of rents in arrear, nor were the clauses securing to the landlord his rent strong enough. Every provision was partial, and weighed against the landlord. If this is to be the Tories' line, they will accept the Bill, proposing ,compensation clauses; but some large owners—markedly, Lords Leconsfield and Lausdowne—suggest a different course. They say, in brief,—" We shall lose heavily by the Bill, in money or in enjoyment. At all events, we think so. Then, why should not the Commission buy us out at twenty-two years' purchase, the rate fixed under the Church Act F" in other words, landlords as well as tenants ought to be allowed to appeal to the selling powers of the Commission.
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