Decatur Daily Republican
Decatur, Illinois
March 22, 1888

MANIFESTLY A TRICK

    LONDON, March 22- The acceptance by the government of Mr. Howells Williams' amendment to Mr. Parnell's Arrears bill is manifestly a trick designed to soothe the consciences of the Unionists, relieve them of the necessity of stultifying themselves and prevent their possible desertion to the enemy. Whatever else may be said of the amendment, its downright dishonesty is the feature that first attracts attention. Its declaration that no arrears bill shall be satisfactory that shall not deal with tenants' debts to other creditors as well as to landlords is merely Mr. Chamberlain's old scheme revived, and this fact alone is sufficient guarantee of its insincerity. The divisions taken on both the amendment and the bill show the marvelous elasticity of the Unionist creed, and abundantly prove that the government does not intend to deal seriously with the question of arrears. The number of ejection notices now ready for service exceeds that of any period since the great famine, and they will now be served almost immediately. Lord Clanricarde has already resumed the service of these notices on his tenants, and the old scenes of strife between tenant and bailiff, police and people, will shortly become as common as they were a year ago.