A Liberal Conference, " under the auspice!, of the National
Liberal Federation," was held at Worcester on Wednesday, and passed almost unanimously resolutions for the reform of Procedure, for the enfranchisement of the soil, by the abolition of primogeniture, settlement, and family charges on land, and for an exclusively representative County Government. The Conference endorsed Mr. Chamberlain's proposal to empower local Councils to expropriate land, but gave no sanction to tenant-right. They only demanded that tenants should be compensated for improvements. Nor did they say anything whatever about Disestablishment. The only contest was on the point of local option,—a minority wishing to allow the Councils to prohibit public-houses altogether. This was negatived, and a more general clause, in favour of empowering the Councils to grant or withhold licences, was accepted by the majority. Note that the feeling in favour of granting new and enlarged powers to Municipalities, so that they may relieve Parliament, was very strong.
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