New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-11

,vbotber we'll or III. to better the cOndluoh u
Irolord At fine same time. the attitude OF the
Liberal leaders on the question OF Home hule
has been rendered more difficult by recent
events But the main advantage oil the BIN,
istry springs from the unsettled cohulO'on Vi
foreign affairs Russia, whether III lmiheul"'e
danger of a revolution or not is the centre oi
q disturbance which may speedily Affect the
relations of nearly all the Great Powers OF
Europe. Enlargement OF armies testing VI
new and powerful ironcads, adjustment VI
finances 10 meet the possibility OF war; are
symptoms which show the uncertainty VI
rulers as TO the immediate future, ana 'hese
symptoms have attracted much attention III
Great Britain.
Fbat Lord Beaconsheld is cOnsummate
actor and most adroit politician has oeen
sufficiently shown without this latest device
His manifesto seems TO be a marvel OF Skill
If his real object IS to gain support TOT Tue
Government on delicate questions OF domesuc
nolicy. he insists that these must be met anu
settled at once, in order that the vast lhilu-
ence of Great Britain In foreign affairs may
not be thrown away by want OF union anu
nnseemly wrangliDg at home, and by uhcer-
taiptv as to the results of an appeal to the
electors. Or If his main object Is to secure an
Endorsement in respect TO the foreign policy OF
Ministers in the past, and formal warrant 10
nusb forward in similar policy hereafter. he
adroitly chooses a time when there Is no I'M
mediately pending question OF foreign poiicy
mon which British opinion is sharply divided
The excitement about Turkish AFFAIRS OF
about Afghanistan, or about the Zulu war; has
abated. 1t will not be easy now for the most
gifted leaders of the opposition TO reklhule
the feeling which blazed so tiercey not long
ago. AS long az England's honor and Eng
lands interests were threatened in some DEFINITE
and positive manner, either 10y movements OF
foreign powers or by recent acts OF the
Ministry, there was opportunity to get ire
attention of the voters to sharp ana enectlNe
criticism. But now Engands interests ana
honor are menaced if at all, by some vague
and mysterious possibilities in the near future
which Ministers can keep hidden in the For
eign Office. and decline to disclose or define
lest the public Interests should suffer. II Il
not easy to convince the voters that Minis
ters are doing wrong, when it is impossible
to show what they are doing, or why. But Ii
Is quite like Lord BeacOnsiield to invite a
popular verdict upon his foreign policy. at
The very time of all others when 1t IL not
possible to define that policy, TO intelligcnily
Justify or assail It, or to demand a public ex-
PLANTATION of it,
The Home Rule party has given Lord Bea-
consGeld his opportunity. just at timd when
British opinion is peculiarly nervous about
foreign uncertainties and united only IN The
feeling that the British Empire shall under no
circumstances be divided. the Home Rulers
insist upon radical changes, whic1 are
easily represented a. involving the virtual
separation and independence Of Ire
land. At once, the Ministry insists that
this question shall be definitely disposed
Of before threatened events abroad may
make It mpcraiively necessary for Great
Britain to display the utmost unanimliy and
Gxcdncss OF purpose In an election held
under such circumstances, II would be natural
that the Home Rule party, where 81 Is strong
should insist.upon its own ideas, make them
naranount i'm the canvass, and secure some
gain Of members. But tho Liberal party APP
parently cannot afford either TO ignore the
issue or to mako 1t predominant. In conse-
qnencc, the opinion seems 10 prevail In Ing
land that the Home Rule party will gain some
seats, but that the Ministry will nevertheless
secure larger majority than it has recently
had behind it. The misfortune Of the Liberals
is that they arc not prepar d to make an az
grcssive and vigorous fight against the treat
ment Of the Irish question by the Govern
mrnt, nor are they in position to assail with
force and effect foreign policy which Minis
tiers cannot now be expected TO disclose OF
forcshadow. The Liberals have seveTI able
leaders, but they lack one recognized leader.
They have several excellent ideas bat they
| lack one positive, aggressive and clear idea