New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-09
1 EpELrEL,L SESSION

the wall. Let them rcdu II.
4 FRUITFUL SESSION.
The session Of the British Parliament, which
WAS brought to a close on Tuesday, has been
one of unprecedented activity in domestic
legislation. Every department of the Admin
istration has felt the impetus OF the fremierS
energy, and large number Of wcll-dlGested
laws have been added to the statutc-book>.
II the houses have been kept together a
month over the time, the Government have
the satisfaction OF knowing that they have
denc more in q single summer than tine Con
scryativc Ministry accomplished in seven scs-
sions. The passage OF the Bnrals bill
has put an end TO mischievous
controversy. which has caused needless
agitation for half q century and impaired the
influence Of the Established Church. The
Ground Game bit is relief measure based
upon the recommendations OF a select COM
mittcc made seven years ago, and the repeal
Of the Malt Tax i n genuine reform OF waIc!
tie farmers were IN pressing need. The En-
ploycr,' Liability act, even IN the restricted
form in winch it left the Hou.e of Lords, is q
iudicious expcdeut for giving woikiugmcn
protection and redress. The Elementary
Education act, which was passed almost with
out a division. is more comprehensive
measure than Lord SInd0n's bill, on which
the energies Of Lord Beacon-fields Ministry
were concentrated during protractcd session
The SAVINGS Banks and Money Order act
and the bills relating to the condition OF sea-
men and TIE shipment OF grain carg0es are
among the most i'm. ortant Of miscellaneous
measures which have Income laws. At the
same time, Mr.. Gladstouc'> financial proposals
involving the rearralg cm,u MT Of the wine
duties and the addition Of Il penny TO the in
com, tax have been carried out. The barren
ness Of six years Of Conservative rue has
given place to legislative trultiuluess. Eng
land once more knows what 1t is to have Il
working Government.
Such record a. this cannot fail 20
strengthen the Ministry in the country. 1t is
undoubtedly true that the Commons have
been dragged from one complex subject to an
other, and that the Lords have been allowed
very little time for the consideration Of meas
ures of great importance. so interchangeable a
worker as Mr.. Gladstone cannot resist the
temptation to ovcrdo. and his courage never
hInches when the ella prcudices of any sec
ton of his party are irritated and harassed
The Compensation for Disturbance act
and the Ground Game bill were opposed
secretly by many and openly by not
few Of the landed Wings, who mad
made so gallant a fight III the spring cleo
tons; yet the Premier persevered III his adj
vocacy of these measures, and the first as well
as the last would have gone upon the statute
books if the landowners of the Upper House
had been capable OF mastering their heredi-
tary prciudices. The zeal of the Peers suisse
ouently overle reached itself, and there is now
every reason to believe that in future the
Wings will not shirk their responsibilities as
members of a progressive party. All the other
sections of the majority have been cOncIllated.
The sober cOnd-thOush t OF the NoncOn-
iormistS will accept the Bur1als bill as prac-
teal solution of vexed question. The working
classes have been dealt with most generously,
and the tenant farmers have learned that
while a Conservative Ministry promises every
thing and does nothing for them, Il Liberal
Government restricts the sporting pleasures
of the country sqlircs and abOIshes taxes
which have always been regarded as oppres-
siye. The gains which the Liberals made in
the counties last spring will be increased if
this policy be pursued. The reputation which
the Conservatives Lave long enjoyed of being
the farmers friends has been shown to be
q hollow pretence. The Liberals have done
more for the farmers in one session than
Lord Beaconsfeds Administration found time
and inclination to do in seven.
A first session is always critical one for
q new Government. Lord BeacOnslield. con-
summate paIty-manager as he is, made very
bad start in his first year. Mr. Gladstone has
been as bold and aggressive as his prodeces-
sor WAS cautious and tme-serving. His pur
Noses have been thwarted from time to time
the Bradlaugh episode took up almost as much
time as a Reform bill would have required,
and evening after evening has been wasted in
debates on points of order raised by Home
Rulers and Young Tories; but IN the end the
clements of the Liberal party have been
brought together and the passage of 80 many
enlightened measures has been secured. No
other statesman could have done what Mr.. Glad-
stone has succeeded in doing, for this If for
no other reason, 10 other statesman would