A public meeting of over ten thousand people, to protest
against the Direct Veto Bill, was held in Birmingham, on Thurs- day, at the Bingley Hall. Mr. Chamberlain, who presided, stated that there were probably two million persons earning their livelihood in connection with the liquor trade. The remark was greeted with cries of " Shame ! " but happily capped by the retort, " It may be shameful, but with whom is the blame!' " The three main objections to the Bill were, that it would be, ineffective ; that it involved " the maximum of incon- venience and the minimum of real temperance reform;" and that it was unjust, because it did not provide for compensa- tion. It was also unjust because it was a class-measure, and interfered with the poor man, but not with the rich. A reso- lution against the Bill was adopted by a very large majority.
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