The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-16

! OF life for those on strike. and the approaching
winter season aggravates the OWL. Up to the
present time the workmen havo generally been
governed by the rule that it is useless to strike
! against a falling market; but this principle
has now been departed from. and in al
most every instance II Ia no loss to
the owners To- shut their mills alto
gether. On account of tho depression Of
trade II appears that thero is very little chance
OF n satisfactory settlement of tho dispute. and
unless n speedy arrangement can be arrived Mt
the busin nss of the town seems doomed. In tho
agricultural districts matters are quite rs bud;
the tenant farmers are declining TO renew their
leases. and the proprlctors find themselves sud-
denly burdoned with large farms which they
don't know what 10 do with. as gentlemen
farmers are proverbially unable to make their
farms pay. 1t IL evident that at n time when
tho tenant farmer cannot do SO they are in
still worse plight Their only chance lies i'm a
reduction OF wages. which means starvation
among the rural population. From all these
things IL is evident that England is in as bad a
condition for going to war rs any foreign nation.
Parliament meets tomorrow. and If we are to
judge by the parliamentary utterances.
the discussion will be one Of the most accri-
monious which has ever taken place in the
House Of Commons The ship Of state is on
rel violently as to whose fault it was that she
got there Members have been diligently study
ing the Blue Book which has Just been issued
by tho Government. and il seems to have the
remarkable merit Of furnishing an equally
good cnse 10 both sides. By way Of sharpening
their wits in anticipation OF the struggle. the
pros and cons Of the question are bitterly dis
cussed at every dinner table. and party spirit
runs 80 high that the most eXtravagnnt doc
trines are ventilated. and the most ingen
ious pervcrsons Of fact resorted to.
In this latter respect Mr.. Gladstone,
rs usual takes tho lead. and in two
speeches which he made three days ago
ut Greenwich. no endenvorod to clear himself
from the charge Of having by his policy cncour-
aged and aided Russia in her designs against
British India. and English interests in the East
generally. in Il manner which seems 10 have
been "a highly appreciated by his audience rs
II has been condemned by impartial Observers.
The peculiarly OF Mr.. Gladstone's ora;ory is
tnat he can disguise the most garing inconsis-
tcncies by web Of rhetoric which dazzles and
fuscinatcs while it bewiders the auditors. but
when read aftcrward and compared with pre-
vioGs uttcrancus one is amazed nj the un-
bushing cfTrontcry which. under the garb ot
sincerity aud earnesiness can so ingenously
pervcrt aud dstort facts to crafty the vindic-
| tivrncss Of his nature and suit tho cxigencies
| Of the party quarrel
Tho debate will not possess any deep interest
for the result is foreknown, nor will it be felt
upon the House Of Commons for mons pas
s.ous are too intensely excited. The Govern
ment have majority in both Houses. and. even
! ifthoy had worse ease than they have. would
be- supported IN their Afghan policy. As it H.
| il il pretty plain that the Liberal administration
was 20 blame in refusing Shcre AIS Offer II an
offensive and defensive alliance against Russia
| in 1873. II he has been unfairly and harshly
| dealt with now. II il because a previous policy
| had placed the present Government in posi-
ton in which they had no alternative. il they
desired TO retain their hold upon their own
frontier. but 10 force the ruler of this border
state to arccde TO tho conditions which appear
essential 10 the safety " India.