Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-31
GLADsTONE's PROGRAMME.

IN j feccul bpecCu W thO CtSSsoA
at Greenwich, Mr.. Gladstone threw
some light upon the programme 0
the administration which has sprung
from the late elections in England
Scotland and Ireland. Such course
he doubtless felt was necessary, il
order to concentrate the Liberia
forces, and enable them 70 act as ;
unit upon all important questions
A majority party must have well
defined policy, if they wish to battle
the assaults OF a acknowledgements
minority. The people Of Great
Britain look to Mr. Gladstone to
inaugurate such apoliey. They have
trusted him with power at time
hen-1he progressive movements Of
the country hang trembling in the
balance. A mistake at this time
would block the wheels of progress
for half a century. This fact is well
known to Disraeli, and he will use
all efforts to disorganize the Liberal
forces, and urge the more vehement
20 course of action which viii
alarm the Conservative element OF
the country. This is his game. Al
ready some of the papers in his in
terest are announcing that the Lib
erals intend to act in an agrarian
spirit, and hack and mangle the laws
and ordinances by which property
is surrounded and projected. In
this manner it is hoped to array the
whole body of land owners against
the new Ministry, and obtain their
aid and cooperation in and out of
Parliament. 20 lsft-l--ts 20 : L-li'li
Mr.. Gladstone is too far-sighted
to be caught in this trap of Mr.. Dis
raeli's, and hence his speech at
Greenwich. In that he puts forth to
the country some of the leading
points of the new programme, and
intimates what steps viii be taken
to make practical the late victory
at thcpolls. There are two subjects
witch, in the judgmentof Mr.. Glad
stone, cannot be overlooked in con
nection with the representation of the
people. The first is free voting.
To secure this must be the primary
duty of those whom the people have
lifted into power. Upon this point
Mr.. Gladstone is most emphatic, de
claring, al have at all times given
my vote in favor of the Openmethod
of voting; but have done so be-
fore, and do so now, with one
important reservation, namely, that,
whether by open voting, or by what
soeyer means, free. voting must be
secured" After such a statement
as this from the leader of the new
administration it is fair to setdowR
an enlargement of the area of citi-
zenshfp, and ample security for the
exercise Of the elective franchise, as
one OF the cardinal points of Liberal
programme The removal of the
grievances complained of by large
body ofpersons formerly known as
compound househOlders, who have
been compelled practically to alter
the tenure on which they.hold their
dwellings, as acondition of exercis-
ing the right to vote, is also accep-
ted by Mr. Gladstone as one of the
duties of the party to which he be-
longs. The Prime Minister also
enumerates the questions of bank
ruptcy and of education as demand
ing early attention, and coupling
with these the relations of capital
and labor, remarks :" believe the
difficulties that have arisen have
simply been the incidents neces
sarily attaching to a period Of
transition and period of advance
ment which involves great changes
in the relations of labor and capital
and that all those difficulties will b,
solved, and solved not so much by
the compulsory action ofParliamen
as by the good sense of both of tn,
classes principally concerned, an(
with their general satisfaction anC
concurrence. The question of ed
ucation for Ireland is likewise &C
copied as 8 matter demanding atten
ton, but not so Immediately as tn
religious condition of that country
and the issue Of the establishment
All these questions viii be met by
the Ministry, and adjusted ia aceor
dance with the verdict of til
people.
1t can thus be seen that MIR. Glad
stone has indicated the leadin,
features of his Parliamentary pro
gramme, and his friends can nov
prepare for the contest before then
Mr.. Disraeli is an artful and adrot
leader of a minority. He is strongC
IN that position than as the champio
of a majority But, Mr. Gladston
has confined his movements to
few, plain, practical issues, whic
the people can readily understan,
and that fact is strongly in his fsvo
If not impeded 10y iniudieioI
friends, the new Ministry will gai
their point. But the danger is :
great in that quarter as from Il
opposition.
The recent convention of Railro
Presidents, held at Atlanta, Georgia, 7
solved to reduce the fare for all perso
going South TO prospect or examine I
country to two cents mile, and all il