The more the whole scheme is examined, the more favour
it receives,—so much so that the Irish Members are furious, and Mr. Davitt directly hostile, declaring that it will create a new and more numerous caste of landlords. The Pall Mall Gazette even declares that it is a huge bribe to the tenants, who, before it is worked out, will have saved for themselves, in reduced payments and so on, £83,000,000 sterling. They will save a splendid sum, whatever the exact figure ; and if they are as 'cute as they used to be, they will see this, and make matters unpleasant for their representatives who object. The entire Gladstonian Party are, however, making up their minds to resist, and will, it is believed, though there is much internal discussion, rely upon three arguments. First and foremost, that the scheme requires the intervention of local representative bodies, or a representative body, which is reasonable from a Home-rule point of view ; secondly, that the landlords get too much, which is, of course, debatable, though landlords will think very differently, and, as we believe, with justice ; and thirdly, because the scheme, under colourable pretexts, imposes a heavy liability on the general taxpayer, which is not true. The latter will, it is imagined, be the popular cry in this island, while the second one will sweeten his Member's resistance to the Irish elector. We shall see ; but we venture to predict that although the discussion will be harassing, the resistance will not be to the last ditch, and that the Irish Members will not face a dis- solution in such a cause. Paddy is too clever not to see that he gets thirty-three millions lent him to get freeholds with.
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