New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-17

for the redistribution of seasOf which more hereafter
will be laid before the House, and then shall be ena-
bed to Judge of the Reform measure in its enirety'
Meanwhile it would be altogether premature TO suppose
that the Franchise bill has survived Its seveest trial. now
that it has scrambled through its second reading 1t may
be emaseuated in committee. An attempt will undouDt-
edly be made to raise the qualification from t. to rs IN
the booughs and from Ga TO go in the counties; ana
Judging from the dvsonst of Saturday last we cannot
but Judge that such osa will be backed by power
full secession from Ministerial ranks And sneh com
promise would be absolutely fatal the efficiency of the
measure But the Government is committed 10 stand or
fall by its vital points, and cannot concede them without
nfny Aud the Liberals Of England will certainly not
be willing be put off with the mere name and pretense
of Reform bill, a mockery deluslon, a snare ana
humbug. Yet they not overconhdent or saguine Us
the Of the present attempt At popuarzng b
sh institutions, though convinced thai 1t IS better ior
them to be fairly defeated now than TO have their efforts
pafalyzed for time by ameely nominal success Ihc
ultimate decision rests with the country. IL the constt-
enoes and the uncpesented masses show they are IN
earnest in their demand for rcfoesolved to have 1t
Parliament will consent, and not without But II there
be exhibition of strong popular feeling the OIL prop
ABLY iorelOOmed to death by mutation.
Ii one point has been brought out more prominently
than another in the of the late debates IT'S he
utter bsurdity Of endeavorns to reconcile the eenens
opinions of those who advocate restricted franchise
People are really beginning TO see the absurdy OF MAKING
a rental OF 60 e. or ElO house the test OF man
fitness TO the possession of vote for memter oil far
mcnt especially when il is remembered thai, even II inc
lowest scale adopted large numbers OF the mos,
intelligent portions of the community would stu remain
excluded from the electoral franchise Experience has
shown that q eurtament of the suffrage affords no guar
any that model constituency will thereby be created
that you can't have all the virtues above certain arth
mctcal figure and conine the vices to those beneath H.
The political sheep and the goats OF all classes Nor
can il be doubted that public opinion has taken RAPID
stride during the last few weeks and that very repectape
Britons who short time ago, contemplated with sort
OF horror the possibility of such democratic proposal as
manhood suffrage" getting to regard II not only as
possible but probable settlement of the great question
which is now agaiing the country. The heresy OF me
ballot toe finds strenuous advocates ana Deie'eIS' very
gradually it is getting to be suspected that an american
| election (which orthodox Engishman somehow sup
poses to DO synonymous with rowdyism can't present
worse scenes Of disorder and bribery and corruption than
occurred this country at the last general election The
| Reform League is making way, and altogether we are
| moyng-slowly, of course, like BntoDs-but moving
II was of saky and sullcn faces that Mr. Glad
stone-lookng exceedingly pale, but resoute1maae ms
announcement on Monday when it was received without
any particular mark Of emotion the matter seeming 10 De
treated business and procedure rather than as
springing of something akin to Ministerial CRISIS.
For reasons before ntmated the Tories abstaned from
taun,s the Liberals perhaps agreeabiy surprised
for they human and one docsnt know whonay DC u
seated IN of dissolution And throughout the week
there las been comparative truce on the question OF
Reform which for the next seven days may rage Lereer
than On Monday Nr. Gladstone Introduces ms Diii
for redistribution IL rumored that 1t Will transfer oo
seats from Ii boroughs to larger cons,tuencles-ohe'
half of the number being given to towns one-hai 20
ties: that total Acknowledgement is not contemplated III
any case but is anticipated that vacancies VIII DC ere
a,ed he extent indicated by grouping places OF minor
importance together The method OF assoeatlng several
towns in the choice OF representatives largely adopted
in 1892 with respect TO Scotland and Wales IL can hardly
be considered that the rate Of partial dfranchisemeni
ascbod the Government is excessive when IT ~ reco
ected that there present ~ boroughs which have
Tower than 500 electors apiece and that many OF these
| places have two members. Such constituencies may,
therefor consider themselves tcndery dealt WITH II, In
stead OF being totally extinguished, they are allowed 10
share their nOrdnac electoral privileges with their nele
hors On the other hand the claimants of unrepesented
towns with population of from 10000 to 5000 ought "a
be- irresistible The question of the comparative night 81
and counties to participate IN the OF the
vacated seats is complicated, and will, no doubt
occasion much dispute. The shire constituencies are MOI
so amply represented the boroughsa very ancient DIS
pariy-and lcssened by the Reform bill OF 1880 Al
present voting power the rural elector 10 on th'
average only half that of townsman. Mr. Gladstone
measure VIII probably aim 20 rcctify some OF these ano
males and bear about the same proportions TO the Dli
that il really needed as Of reform did to It's particular
province ofexendng representation 10 the people Of In
gland But IS all that be ventured at present JohI
Bright has in its favor at Manchester meeting
or Mr. Gadstones Budget the papers OF yesterday vii
bring you ample particulars. Here 1t is in LI1ef:
First he dealt With the past year. The est maed expendi
nTc idt 1900, the actual expenditure lad been fb5
ga favorable balance Of ie3 O0 Tho estimated
revenue 300 OO0 while the actual revenue a67 s2
Coming to the current year. he said the estimated ex