Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-19
THE ENGLISH CONSERVATIVE.

\ CHAOTIC AssEuBLAGE OF MEN ANp MEAS
uREs WITHOUT POLICY OR BRAINS.
From the London Spectator.
SO completely was Lord Bcaconstield
the party's chief that his mere exis.
tence concealed from his followers and
the country the weakness Of his lieu.
tenants. They might break down with
out diminishing his iormidableness in
the popular House. Their lineaments,
indeed were hardly seen. No Liberal
iel, as it fighting Sir Stafford Northcote,
or Sir Richard Cross, or Mr.. Stanhope,
or Lord George Hamilton, but one of
those men with Lord Beaconsfieild 5
broader shadow projected before him,
concealing his precise size. hiding his
weaknesses, yelling his writings IN AS.
suring shade. The country, gazing at
Lord Beaconsfeld, anticipating his act.
ions, watching for his words. hardly per.
ceiyed how terribly the Conservative
party in the Commons WAS over match.
ed in statesmanship, in experience, IN
knowledge, in capacity for debate. IT
lost sight of the disnPreeable truth
disaereeable, we mean, 10 Liberals as
we'll a. their opponents-that in the
Commons the great Conservative party
have lost able men till. amid the UNI
yersal mediocrity, Mr.. Chaplin is sort
of leader, and Mr.. Gibson tower Of
strength and Lord George Hamilton a
conspicuous figure. The melancholy
reality will be revealed now, and II must
treble the bewIlderrncnt OF the bereaved
party. They have men in the Peers,
but where are they IA the Commons
Sir Stafford Northcote, with Lord Eea.
censfcld behind him, did passably we'll
"A smooth, adroIt man. with some yIg-
or. though he 30 often stumbles, whom
Mr.. Gladstone spares a good deal, and
who. # his boys are not too refractory
aud the lessons all are set, can manage
well enough, but who must, whenever
he opens his lips, look at the opposite
benches with "A deep. though It may also
be humorous dismay. What will be.
come of him with Lord Bencon-tield
away, or OF his party? lie Is there and
besides him there is no one who can
even affect 10 lead. SIR Richard Gross
prepared the Water bill, Mr. Sianhope
Is still but man of promise and Lord
George Hamilton is in stAtesmanshIp a
boy. The Conservatives must remedy
this situation, and how are they 20 do
it?
The Duke Of Richmond casts no
shadows into the House of Commons.
Take the very best view Of Conservative
prospects and they have to fight for
many years an uphill battle. This Par
lament has five years yet to live. IL IL
perfectly possible. as matters stand
throughout the world. that 1t may be
able to attend to internal reforms. in
which Liberals are strong, and in which
their cour-e is pretty definitely marked
out for them. The Conservatives will
want TO do battle against that course,
to reduce its popularity with the coun.
try, to whittle away the strength of the
Ministry until, when its hour arrives. It
will fall with crash. and through
whom are they to do itl Who is TO
give them the patient and persistent
energy needed for such fight? There
is no chief left ruling In both houses.
and no Peer less than Lord Beacons.
field can be present in them both. The
Conservatives will have to choose new
chiefs i'm the Commons or invest the
old ones with more authority, and
while the second alternative is more
than difficult, the FIRST one is impossible.
They must wait till the slow operation
Of natural selections reveals the worth.
lest 10 survive, and while they are wait.
ing they may fall, ~ IN the beginning
of obstruction they showed n visible
tendency TO do, into very dangerous
anarchy. Take this Land bill, perhaps
the most difficult problem ever put be-
fore such party. 1t is opposed in its
essence to every idea they have in the
world-except, indeed, their idea that
Ireland Is a separate planet, where four
dimensions are possible, and two plus
two may be five--yet opposition 10 it
may involve destruction. The bill must
either be suffered TO pass, or fought with
extreme adroitness. II 1t is TO pass,
who are to be trusted 10 fight that re.
sounding battle in the Commons which
will give the peers the courage TO take a
desperate resolved The men are not
there, and with the disappearance of
Lord Beaconsfeld disappears the mist
which has concealed the fact alike
from the party and the people. The
Conservatives have not only to make n
leader. but lieutenants for him, and to
perform the latter task in the highest
creative way-that is, without material
on which to exercise their power. That
they will ultimately succeed we do not
doubt, for conservatism is a political
theory which, while there are men who
look back TO the past or are content
with the present, will never die but
for the time they have more 10 do than
TO ill up the succession which now OK.
cites so many hopes and fears.