New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-08
NOTES FROM LONDON.
THE ATTACK ON MR. FORsTER-SUNDAf
OPENING.

n good reply What call the caucus - hho"n 4"
che cnmhrous iargon of current politics AZ the
7 ;bcral -Four Hundred OF Bradford. This Is not
,bsir frs; endeavor 20 enforce snbserviency to the
r,acbine They tried il when MIR. Forster was a
candidate. and failed lie has backing in the con-
stitncncy which his Radical critics have never been
able 70 shake He refused to submit himself TO
their dictation and Bradford stood by him IN his
indpnendencc The excellent Liberals of that great
town knew very well the origin of the hostility
which Mr. Forster had 20 encounter. 1t dates from
1870 as have before explained and the Education
Act and the compromises with tn Church party
which Mr. Forster entered into in order to save that
measure from wreck. This last splitter OF bitter
ness is but the echo of the yelis then heard. Nor
IL certain that the Bradford Caucus does not
answer 10 the wire-pulling touch OF Birmingham
More important now than all that historical mat
ter is the prctcnson now distinctly asserted OF the
Machine 10 manage the Member Mr. Forster may
he RIGHT ar wrong in the question now at Issue. l
think he is right, but # | thought him wrong
should none the less condemn his cenSors. The
question is American rs well rs Engiish-the ques-
ton Of a members immediate responsibility 70 his
constituents. The tendency of modern politics Is to
enforce a minute supervision over the actS ana
words Of a representative. and 1t is in some respects
a mischevOus tendency. II borough or county IN
England If a Congress district IN America, wants
mere delegate they can get One-can get man VINO
will he svvaved By every breath of popular passion,
and who will allow his vote and speech on every
snbiect 70 be dictated to him from home. But the
best men are not 10 be had on these terms. and II
conservative bodies are 10 he kept 40 high stand
ard the other doctrine must prevail y member
must be representative and not delegate faith
fully serving his constituents, faithful 10 his party
and principles but using his own Judgment ana
preserving his independence on questions as they
come up.
That is what Mr. Forster has done. He disap-
nroves the course Of the Government IN tgypt ana
he has the courage 10 say so. The Bradford Four
Hundred CRY out that he ought 20 have approved or
have pretended TO approve when he did not or per-
laps have held his tongue altogether ana gwen
silent and hypoeritcal vote in favor of policy
which his Judgment and conscience condemned. l
do not believe they have with them any great body
~ public opinion Men of character and con-
science of strong opinions and strong Wills are still
deemed valuable TO public life in England. MI
Forster expresses what many Liberals less ont
spoken really think about Egypt His enemies say
lie attacked Mr.. Gladstone. No doubt he used a
nhrase little in accord with the idolatTy LAWS he'd
On Nh Gladstone by his personal admirers Trying
10 account for Mr.. GladstOne's conduct TO Nordon'
lie described him one who could persuade most
men Of most things. and himself of anything. The
words
They might have been left uusld but il Is turning
nautical LOYALTY into servlty to pretend that they
are an offence for which man of Mr.. Forsters
position OF of anybody's position. is to be publicly
rebnked Mr.. Forster the sane night dlsclaimed All
intention of offence. and after that nothing more
ought to have been heard of the matter
On the Egyptian policy of the Government. Mr.
Forster in his elaborate reply TO the -Four Hundred
rcstateS his opinion states cogently ana with MS
wonted argumentative effectiveness. But II Is not
necessary to follow HIM through that labyrinth II
his speeches did not convince his critics neither
will this convince them What is most important
IL Mr. Forster distinct assertion of his right ana duty
to put at the service of his electors something more
than blind obedience TO the crack OF the party whip
To the warning that this is not the way 10 regain
Office he answers that he knows well 1t is not that
he sets little value on Office; that he sets great
value on his position member for bradford; nut
that not even to remain member for Bradford Will
he forfeit his right 10 say what he thinks since
never did the right and duty OF independence need
more assertion than now.
That is well and manfuly stated. and the re-
sponse to IT from the country at large will be- good
measure of the present soundneSs OF political 1eel-
inq The party hacks the papers which take their
tone from the managers, will continue to revile MI
Forster. The Liberals who are sectarldns first ana
l liberals afterward will keep alive the memory OF
this grievance by fresh assaults on the man they
have sworn to Danish from public life. Birmingham
will doubtless stand by its Bradford allies ana
tools But the provincial papers OF the more honor
able and thoughtful and genuine sort are taking
sides with Mr. Forster I he Manchester Guardian
supports his view. The Leeds Mercury. the Chief
organ of Yorkshire and next door % Bradford itscl
asserts a. strongly Mr.. Forster does the rght OF
forming and of making known 20 the country an
a.. fr.tr ftf 4i,- n Uef 81 a.
tion. The London press is with him 80 far as 1t
speaks-all the leading papers except the one organ
of Liberalism which now is 50 oittn ilIDeraI; ana
that one pays hIm the homage OF silence.
The movement: against the Sabbatananism
prevalent in this country Is obviously gaming
force. Last saturday was held the ninth meeting
Of what Is known as the sunday Society the aim OF
which is 10 open museums and galleries to the pub
lie now closed Oh the first day of the week
The Duke of Westminster is its new president. ana
Lord Bramwell was one OF the speakers. Othcr
earnest men took part in the proceedings, but
mention these two in proof that there IS nothing
vioeltly radical irreligIous IN the programme OF
the society. II any man is a Conservative, socially
speaking. II is the Duke of W estmlnster with MS
rent roll of half a million sterling year lie IS one
of the chief among those great landlords whom as
well as the little ones Mr.. Henry George has under
taken 70 improve oil the face of the earth. Lord
Bramweu a man nearly eighty years DID, Is one OF
the greatest lawyers and Judges though he has re-
tired from the Bench of this century, conservative
70 the tips of his fingers, but hater OF humbug'
They are both in favor of preserving the religious
character of Sunday observance, but both IL favor
of allowing recreation.
Lord Bramwell, who is master of a very direct
and simple style of speech, supported the society,
he said. because 1t was endeavoring to get rid OF
the most rnlschievous and stupid way III which the
English Sunday is observed. As a judge, he had
been asked whether he did not think sabbath
breaking the beginning of all crimes. No. lie