The Irish Land Bill will get through after all in
spite of the little defeat, due no doubt to the Royal wedding of Wednesday, which the Government suffered on that day, when the clause (24) providing that money should be paid in the purchase of land instead of guaranteed land stock (which is now at 10 per cent. premium) was resisted by a combination of the tenants and landlords, and defeated by 99 to 86, or a majority of 13, in spite of Mr. Balfour's appeal to the Com- mittee, in which he pointed out that though at present the premium on guaranteed land stock is only 10 per cent., it might rise to 20 per cent. or sink to nothing, and the purchase- money therefore might be altered very materially, and be one thing at one time and another thing at another. Mr. Balfour then withdrew the clause, but reserved his right to reconsider the matter at a later stage. The Irish landlords, who have been chiefly represented by Mr. Carson, after pushing their amendments at previous sittings, were no doubt rather glad to help in administering a snub to the Government. Indeed, on Tuesday Mr. Carson stalked out of the House in dignified displeasure, with the remark that it was evident that the Government were determined not to give a proper consideration to the landlords' amendments, though, so far as we can judge, they had held the scales very evenly between the tenants and the owners. On Thursday there was quite a dramatic scene between Mr. Balfour and Mr. Carson, whom the Leader of the House reproved for his taunts with singular force and dignity, amidst the general cheering both of his party and of the Irish Nationalists. The Bill passed through Committee at an early hour on Friday morning, and the report and third reading will be concluded early in the next week. The House of Lords is now the only danger.
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