_House of Commons, Monday, May 5._--Next year is my Jubilee--mine and
_Mr. Punch's_. Pup and dog, have known House of Commons for nigh fifty
years. Of course not so intimately as within the last eight or nine
years; but ever since I took my seat on piles of bound volumes at feet
of the MASTER, have kept one eye on Parliament.
Never saw a scene to equal what took place to-night. When House met,
good deal of talk about yesterday's Labour Demonstration. Everybody
agreed it was enormous, unprecedented, momentous. The Working Man
demands a day of eight hours' labour, and will see that he gets it.
Still talking about the matter in whispers. Second Heading of Budget
Bill under discussion; SHAW-LEFEVRE on legs, protesting against
increased expenditure on Army and Navy. Undertakes to show it is
absolutely unnecessary. Beginning his demonstration when hand of clock
touched hour of Six. SPEAKER rose with cry of "Order! Order!"
SHAW-LEFEVRE resumed seat; afraid he had, in exuberance of eloquence,
committed some breach of order. Members crowded in to hear what SPEAKER
had to say.
"This House," he said, as soon as silence restored, "will now adjourn.
At least I must withdraw; and unless it can be shown that Deputy-Speaker
has been in bed all day, or otherwise idling his time, you cannot go on.
Under ordinary circumstances, House meeting at Three o'clock, we should
have adjourned sharp at Eleven to-night; but the fact is, my day's work
began at Ten this morning. That is a necessity of my position. With
interval of hasty meals, I have been accustomed to work a maximum of
twelve hours a day, often running up to fourteen. That, however, now
over. Settled by Working Man that Labour Day should not exceed Eight
Hours. We will, therefore, now break up. I daresay some of you Hon.
Gentlemen, engaged at the Bar or in affairs in the City, commenced your
work even earlier than Ten?"
"Sir", said OLD MORALITY, "I do not know whether I am in order in
speaking after the clock has struck Six, and so extending our legal day.
I will, however, promise to be brief. In fact, I rise merely to confirm
your view, Sir, of our position. For my own part, I have been closely
engaged in the business that pertains to performance of my duty to the
QUEEN and Country, since an hour earlier than Ten this morning, and I
think I may say the same for my friends near me on this Bench.
[ASHMEAD-BARTLETT: "Hear, hear!"] We were, as usual, prepared to go
forward with our work, to sit here till whatever hour was necessary to
accomplish it. Without abating one jit or tottle--"
SIR WILLIAM HARCOURT: "The Right Hon. Gentleman probably means one jot
or tittle."
OLD MORALITY: "In accordance with my habit, Sir, I meant what I said. As
I was saying, when perhaps somewhat unnecessarily interrupted by the
Right Hon. Gentleman, I do not abate one tit or jottle of my desire to
perform my duty where duty is doo; but since our friend the Working Man
has declared in favour of a labouring day confined to Eight Hours, we
must needs follow him."
OLD MORALITY packed up his papers; JOKIM locked up red box containing
papers relating to Budget Scheme; HARCOURT rose to continue discussion;
discovered that SPEAKER had gone, and Serjeant-at-Arms removed Mace; so,
at few minutes past Six, got off with plenty of time to enjoy that
recreation, and cultivate those family relations, not less dear to a
Member of Parliament than to the more 'orny 'anded son of toil. Odd at
this early hour to hear cry of Doorkeeper, "Who goes home?"
[Illustration: Bolton bolting.]
"Well", says Member for St. Pancras, "I think _I'll_ be BOLTON." And he
bolted. _Business done._----New Eight Hours' Day arrangement came into
operation. Entirely successful.
_Tuesday._--RITCHIE a mild-mannered man, six feet high, and of genial
temperament. But there are some things he can't stand. One is, to assume
that Government Bill dealing with Local Taxation involves Compensation
for disestablished publicans.
"I must say", he observed, just now, glaring on CALEB WRIGHT, "that I
object to the word Compensation which the Hon. Gentleman has used in his
question."
What Government had done was to propose measure for the extinction of
licences. Of course, a little money would pass. JOKIM, in Budget Scheme,
made provision to enable County Council to buy out publicans. "But to
call such a transaction Compensation is", RITCHIE added, his left eye
twitching in fearsome manner on CALEB WRIGHT, "preposterous."
That being so, House went into Committee on Allotments Bill, and drummed
away till sitting suspended.
At Evening Sitting, BOB REID brought on Motion raising sort of British
Land Question. Wants to empower Town Councils and County Councils in
England and Scotland to acquire, either by agreement or compulsorily,
such land within their district as may be needed for the requirements of
the inhabitants. House naturally shocked to find a Member proposing to
discuss any phase of Land Question apart from Ireland. Interposition of
Great Britain in this connection regarded as impertinence. Compromise
arrived at; agreed to leave out Scotland. On these terms Debate went
forward.
[Illustration: The Emphatic Noes.]
CHAPLIN in charge of case for Government. At last, in his natural
position, temporary Leader of the House.