New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-29
RELfTJoys or ENGLISH PlRTIFS.

The Irish Land Leagues silent partner con
tributes little, If anything, to It's stock in trade.
The English Radicals have been alarmed by the
revolutionary tendencies of the agrariaE move
ment Oar London correspondent, in his
weekly review OF the political situation, rinds
in Mr.. Courtney's speech abundant evidence
of the willingness of that section OF the Lib
cral party to support Mr.. Gladstone even in II
policy of coercion toward Ireland and The
S9eciat0r, which has made a hard fight for the
common law methods of dealing with the con-
spirators and land agltat0rs, now recon-
mends what is virtually stringent form
of coercion Unless all the signs fail
the Home Rule faction cannot count upon
receiving any material aid and comfort
from the advanced Liberals. Mr.. Chamber
lain will find it easy to remain In a Cabinet
which exhausts the ordinary resources of law
and then makes organized terrorism the
ground of exceptional measures of repression.
The fact that SO many counties in Ireland are
terrorzcd,n and that an agitation to reform
the land system has degenerated into % con-
sp;racy against landed property, has wrought
a marked change below the gangway. We do
not believe that Mr.. Gladstone will meet with
Parliament meets in January. A Premier
who was more of Wing and less of a Pro-
prcssiye Liberal would look for armed neu-
trality rather than efficient support. The
Radicals have an abiding faith in Mr. Glad
stone. They know him to be statesman
who never fiinchcs from his convictions. They
are well assured that. when the time comes,
he will reform not only the Irish but the
English land system.
As the Liberal party is now constituted the
Premier will have more difficulty in overcom-
ing the prejudccs OF the Wings than III re-
straining the ardOr of the Radicals. The land
owning class knows that the reforms which
begin IN Ireland will end IN England. The
Ground Game bill has opened the eyes of the
English tenant-farmcrs to the advantages of
remedial measures and the defeat of the
Conversation Act, instead of obstructing re-
forms in Irish land-tenure, has rendered more
positivc legislation absolutely necessary. The
old-tme Wing cannot conceal his uneasiness.
The Commons and the people are dragged
from one harassng subject to another without
having time to master the details or forecast
the consequences, and in his judgment the
strain upon British institutions aud especially
upon the interests 81 landed property, Is so
great that the foundations of public order
and security are shaken. The action of the
Liberal Peers on the Compensation Act shows
how much resistance the conservative ele-
ments of the Liberal party are likely to offer
to the passage of land reform acts. English
public life, however, is continuous record
of social and political concessions. The House
of Peers, as one of the most sagaclous men
i'm England recently remarked, seldom likes
new ideas, but il invariably perceves before
il is too late that there may be less public
danger in accepting than IN rejecting them.
We do not believe that the old Wings OF
either House have lost this power of discern
ment. Ii will be IA most dlilicult undertaking.
but we think that Mr.. Gladstone will succeed
III fusing the elements of his party, and in
securing for his home policy a most hearty
and efficient support.