An interesting letter from Mr. Gladstone was read at the
meeting of the National Temperance Congress at Chester on Friday week. After stating that he seems to see pretty clearly certain things about the question, " but as a whole it baffles me," Mr. Gladstone goes on to declare his belief that the principle of Local Option is sound, though those must be of a very sanguine temperament who believe that it disposes of the entire question. As to compensation, the holder of the license is the only person "to whom the word compensation ought to be so much as mentioned." "I am of opinion," Mr. Gladstone adds, "that the method of sale for public account, as it exists in various parts of Scandinavia, presents great advantages. Of course, if we adopt it, we ought to adopt it in the best form. The plan of free trade, with strict police and adequate taxation, was unfortunately refused a fair trial. Of the scheme of mere limitation, by reducing the number of licenses, I confess I have but a poor opinion." Of course this does not profess to be an epoch-making declaration as to the Liquor question, but it contains a great deal of common- sense. Whatever else is right, it cannot but be absurd for the State to create a virtual monopoly in liquor-selling by the restricting of licenses, and then to give away the very valuable property thus created at haphazard, and to the first-corner. That is our present system, and a very unsatisfactory one it is from the public standpoint.
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