The Radicals are beside themselves with anger at their delayed
hopes, and on Thursday two amendments were practically carried against the Government. Mr. H. S. Foster moved that the Employers' Liability Bill should not apply to fishing-vessels when fishermen were joint adventurers with the owners ; and Mr. Asquith was compelled to accept the amendment, which was then carried by 202 to 130. Mr. McLaren again moved an instruction to the Committee on the Parish Councils Bill, empowering them to admit all women to the franchise who would possess it if they were men ; and Government resisting, they were beaten by 147 to 126. The Unionists are greatly delighted by these evidences of an inevitable quarrel between the Government and their .extreme supporters, but they are a little 'premature. They forget that these men sit by favour of Mr. Gladstone, and that if he puts his foot down, and they refuse to obey, not 10 per cent. of them will ever see Parliament again. They will have a hard fight at the Election anyhow ; and if they stand as Radicals opposed to the Premier, they will be nowhere. This is a Gladstonian Parliament, not a Liberal or Radical one.
Previous page
