The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-09
THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT
The Attitude of the Ministry
to the Country.
EFFECT OF THE PLIMSOLL ROW.
A Renaissance Of the DiSraeli-O COnnell
ImbrOgliO.



courtesy which Mr. Dsraeli has striven not un-
successfully to introduce at Westminster, was very
suddenly interrupted Thursday night in the
House of Commons The Plimson incident l re-
gard as the natural Nemesis upon the principles
on which the Prime Minister has undertaken TO
manage Parliament OF course, we do not want any
drastic legislation at present We want TO be as
are, at rest and thankful accordingly. But
Mr. Disrael whose theoretical acquaintance with the
English character profound his contempt for its
idosyncratc traits sincere chooses to convert what
should be merely of polite naction into aperiod
Of bland badinage 1t said by Chamfort of the an
cent monarchy of France that 1t a monarchy tenn
pered by songs tmay be said with equal truth of the
government OF Mr. Disraeli that IL is despotism tenn
pered by jokes Perhaps this is the natural reaction
after the political asceticism and gloom of the Glad
stonian era just tho Of the Stuart Restor
ton followed upon the artificial severity
Purtansm. But think Mr. Dsraeli has already begun
TO too far His foolng certainly exquisite but is
excessive and the British Senate is beginning rebe
against it. When Mr.. Disrae down to the House
of Commons last Monday he treated Lord Harngton's
thoroughly jushable question relative to the of
public business if it nothing than eab-
crate jest 1t evident from the first that he de-
termined to give no information, and there was some
thing udcrousy adroit in the terms in which he couched
his sentences. What the leader of the opposition
anxious to ascertain precisely what the
government intended TO carry through and when mem
ber of the House of Commons might be expected to DO
relieved from their labors- Such statement is in
varaby made by the Prime Minister toward the close
of the session and usually much earlier than
this Last year Mr.. Disrae volunteered the informa-
ton for which he in vain pressed Monday before
July week old. Moreover, he had been in
manner pledged by the Attorney General, Sir Rich
ard Baggaley last week to state what Lord Harting
ton and every member of the House of Commons
either side wanted to know. Such considerations
did influence him. and the evident anxiety of Parl-
ment to have impaired TO it this very important in
formation seized by Mr.. Dsrael the opportunity
OF administering to it humorous disappointment Only
upon topics did he say anything of which it was
possible definitely to take hold Honorable members
understood from him two things-nrs that the Agrcul
tural Holdings bill would be passed any cost second
that the Merchant Shipping bill would be continued
| with till it became law.
PREsTol CHANGE
Alas, for human expectations On Thursdayth Primo
Minister, who by the way, generally regarded
| having Monday promised to make his statement
apropos OF public business next and not this week. qu
city told his hearers that he had changed his mind and
that the Merchant Shipping bill would be forthwith
abandoned. Upon this Mr. Pimsol rose and in tones
quiverng with excitement and Indignation commenced
an impassoned philippe against the Ministerial policy
Such scene have never beheld The words employed
by Mr. Plimso were, of course, utterly unjustihabe
To stigmatize member Of Parliament by
name as villain exceeds the limits OF per-
missble invectve. After having been informed
by the Speaker that his observations
irrelevant and not in order, Mr.. Plimsoll gave
notice of question that he would he said put to the
right honorable gentleman the President of the Board
OF Trade on Monday next II SHALL he said, TASK
whether the of four vessels which were lost with
eighty lives in 1874 and Others which
abandoned at sea-Mr Edward Bates-is the member
for Plymouth, some other person of the same namc
and, sir " Mr.. Plmsoll continued, al shall ask some
questions about members on this side or the House, too
/ am Northumberland here the speaker raised his
cnched nst-"to unmask the villains who send these
sailors death" These words had crossed
Mr. Plmsolls lips than signs of the impending tempest
displayed themselves There was an ominous lul, and
the Speaker rose "Did Mr. Phmso mean TO apply the
opprobrious word villain any individual member
members of the House Of Commons and, If he did so
| apply it, would he not withdraw it,"
! Mr. Pnsoll would do nothing of the kind. He would
APOLOGIZE; he would not rctract Mr.. Disrae had
choice but propose that the honorable member for
Derby should be reprmanded and he fulfilled this duty
in dignihed and impressive Mr.. Sullivan and
Mr. Fawcett both pleaded that some locus pe'ftentie
should be left for Mr. PmsolL His offensive utter
ances they said had been made under the pressure OF
extreme momentary excitement. Mr. Fawcett limited
that the gentleman in question was barely ments COM
pos and Mr. Dsraeli so far admitted the plea that he
consented give Mr.. Piimsoll week in which to medi
tate the magnitude of atonemen for his indscretion
ATTEMPT JUSTIFY.
No person would attempt to justify the precise lam
guagc which Mr. Plimsol employed; yet it is certain
that public opinion is disposed to rate Mr. PimsoPs of
fence very lightly. The House of Commons, indeed,
! has almost condoned it already, and if on Thursday
next the member for Derby will but his regret ut
the incorporate language into which he betrayed,
the entire affair will be at end That Mr. Plimsol
has right and truth and justice ON his side there can DO
no doubt
1t was only last week that Lord Clifford, at Edn,
burgh delivered judgment the case of the loss OF
| the ship Bard of Avon, which corroborates Mr..
| Plimsos statement "The unfortunate and
melancholy resutn said His Lordship was that
many ships were annually sent to sea totally unnt
to cope with its ordinary dangers, and not only
large amounts of property were yearly lost but large
numbers of lives were sacrificed by the cupable and
wrongful conduct of the owners in sending to sea I'M
seaworthy ships It was" this judgment
! concluded 'lainentabe and even trightul how many
ships were lost ut sea long after they should have been
broken up; but they far profitable as lost
ships than by being broken up as old material Now,
the object OF the Merchant Shipping bill may be briefly
described to subject the systematic neglect by ship
owners of the welfare of those whom they employ to
increased penalties and generally to provide Tor mate
rial Improvement in the condition OF our mercantile
marine ashore and ailoat.
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
Mr. Pmsoll may at least boast that he has studied
the subject. by profession coal merchant, he has
had large practical insight into the details of sys
tenn of marine transit and it is experience that causes
him 10 feel so profoundly the magnitude of the evil he
! Is bent on remedyinp Where il may be asked did
the opposition to Mr. Plimsol's movement originate
Where else should than with the representatives OF
the shipping INTEREST," The gentry who metaphor
icaly 20 down to the deep and whose business Is
thereon, have motive in particular for caring
for the welfare Of their craft for that of the sailors
whom they employ. The former, the
! with the ship Bard of Avon, heavily insured.
The hitter but men who, If they are lost on
| the high seas, be replaced easily. Now,
the shipping mtcrest-that is, the interest
of the shpOWnerss represented with unusual strength
in the House of Commons, and it IS from the representa-
tves of this class that the resistance to Mr. Plimsols
agitation proceeds Rightly wrongly, Nj. Plimsoll
regards Mr.. Edward Bates the member for Plymouth,
as the gentleman Immediately Interested in the perpctu
alton Of these many abuses, and IL the presence OF
this gentleman which raised the member for Derby TO
such intensity of wrath Thursday Mr.. Bates Is
conservative of the new type--a wealthy one deaed
merchant who feels that he mas stake In the country
and that he protect his interests The House OF
Commons Is just swamped with such as these ana
Mr. Plmsols suspicious at least plausible But Mr.
Disraeli can afford offend Mr. Plimsol, and cannot
afford to irrtate the pluocra shippers merchants and
others who are the backbone of the conservative party
THE LAND HOLDINGS BILL--HAvE TENANTS RIGHTS p
DO LANDLORDS RESPECT THEMY