The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-24
Politics In England.

Mr.. Disraeli has announced that the pres
ent session of Parliament will be prorogued
on the 10th or 18th of August and possibly
at an earlier date. This will bring to an end
the second Parliament of Mr.. Disraeli's Pre-
miership. The country gentlemen of England
are anxious for the moors and their summer
shooting. Already there has been much res
tiveness at the apparent lingering of Parlia-
ment in London The scene that took place
night before last when Mr.. Disraeli proposed
to withdraw the Merchant Shipping bill was
not without significance. The fact that so
excitable and earnest a gentleman as Mr..
Plimsoll should quarrel with Mr. Disraeli
because he had sacrificed his favorite bill is q
little matter. Every legislative body opens
its deliberations resolved to pass the largest
number of measures These good intentions,
like many that we see in public life, filter
away. We have at the close of the session
meagre list of achievements. In England the
Withdrawing of measures that the government
desires to adopt but which it is evident can
not be passed under the rules, is called the
massacre of the innoceIts" OF course the
member who finds his own especial pet
measure among the 'tinnocents' takes his
own way of expressing his feelings.
Mr.. Plimsoll has for many years, at great
sacrifice of time and money, with singular
persistence and devotion, agltated England
on the subject of the safety of ships. He has
said many foolish things and no doubt made
many hasty charges 1t is not in the nature
of enthusiasts to be temperate or calm but
he has the heart of the English people with
him. Therefore, when he breaks into o
furious denunciation of the government,
although he invaded the rules of the House of
Commons, and will probably be expelled or
censured, he gave voice to sentiment that
will be heard all over England.
1t may be that the Merchant Shipping bill
was sentimental question. Practical poll
ticans like Disraeli and the hard-headed ma
jority of country gentlemen who sit behind
him do not care to waste time in its discus
sion. But Mr. Disraei, who has dealt so
much in sentiment and who understands
perfectly the poetry of politics, should know
of all men that sentimental questions like
this are apt to move the hearts of the people
with peculiar force. 1t would have been much
better, we think, to have given Mr.. Plimson
his bill, and in SO doing satisfied humane
and just spirit and reformed crying evil. If
the overlooking of ships is so much habit
if men are deliberately drowned by avaricious
shipowners, as Mr.. Plimson declares if the
subject is of consequence enough for the gov
eminent to introduce q bill, it certainly
should have been adopted.
The truth is, Mr.. Disraeli's management of
affairs during this second session OF his reign
has not been satisfactory either to his party
or the people. He came into power with an
unprecedented majority. His advent repre-
scented q revolution in the public opinion
such as had not been seen in England since
the passage of the Reform bill He had with
him an able, powerful, and in some respects,
q most effective Cabinet Behind him was O
body of supporters, tories from conviction
and interest. More than all, he had with
him the House of Lords, which
has always been opposed to liberal
administrations No Premier since the
younger Pitt has had England so
completely under his control The country
expected that he would redeem some of the
glowing promises of the election; that he
would undo some of the obstructive leg1sla-
ton" of Mr.. Gladstone; that he would adopt
a policy more in consonance with the old
traditions of the English spirit. He has done
nothing A few bills of no especial value
have been quietly showed through Parlia-
ment. There has been no debate worthy of
the name. DR.. Kenealy, representing the
Tichborne claimant, made one or two angry,
tedious speeches. This has been the only
episode in the session. more stagnant Par
lament has not been known for years. The
Prime Minister has been in i'll health, and the
government, which came into power with SO
many promises, so many opportunities, and
so strongly placed for good works, begins to
show signs OF decrepitude.
Mr. Disraeli became Prime Minister be-
cause he was confessedly master of the art
of political management. AS leader of the
opposition in the House of Commons no has
had no rival since Palmerston died. But the
tact, the Skill the patience, the quickness to
seize an opportunity, the power of handling
majorities which he evinced to so remarkable
degree as leader of the opposition, have not
served him as the Prime Minister. Whether
it Is from the weakness of advancing years, or
from disease, or from, as many believe, intel
lectual incapacity to manage a majority in
power we cannot say But MIR. Disraeli
closes his second Parliament sadly shorn of
that glory which made him two years ago
Prime Minister of England.
The BOARD OF HEALTH continues the good
work of filing in the Harlem fats.
The JAPANESE are going ahead in the mat
ter Of constitutional government. The COM
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