New-York tribune., 1884-02-03
THE EVE OF PARLIAMENT.
DISASTER IMPENDING IN EGYPT-THE RE-
FORM BILL.
pAEER's pERMoUs ADvANcE-GoRpoNs JOURNEY
THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN ENGLAND.
inv C,pIF To THE TRIBUNE.l

Try CABLE TO THE JRIBUNE.l
LONDON, Feb. 2-The situation in Egypt aoounds
in more perplexities than ever. Military experts
consider that Baker Pacha's attempt to reheVe
Tokar with force partly drilled and wholly un-
Trustworthy invites disaster, yet is imperative
Telegrams from Trinkatat Bakers present mead
onarters paint the prospects in the gOomiest coors
andintimate his hopeis to brbe the sheiks'
The latest news from General Gordon convlnces
Anslo-Egyptans that treachery is at work al caro-
AGAINST him. They do not believe the alleged mis-
take about the young Sultan of Darfour and insist
that the Pachas have Intentionally imposed the
wrong man on General Gordon, and mean that he
shall fail They expect that he will be assassinated
before he reaches Khartoum. These are inferences'
Nobody knows the facts; but general anxiety Is
increasing.
Everybody feels that possible catastrophe in
Erypt may upset the programme of the session and
perhaps the Government itself.
END OF THE VACATION.
The last week before the meeting of Parliament
has been employed by both sides in bringing their
heavy artillery to the front. There has been
ians of every grade in both parties. The Cabinet
has been engaged in arranging the programme OF
the session. in framing bills and in polishing the
Oueep's Speech, which Mr.. Gladstone yesterday
went to Osborne to submit for her approval. MI
Gladstone. who received four important deputa-
tions on Thursday added no knowledge OF the
character of the coming measure, but spoke firmly,
&c fho resisting
threatened opposition, whatever its nature, direct
or indirect the latter being regarded by him as
more dangerous than the former. He proclaimed
the immovable resolve of the Government to use
every legitimate means to carry the Reform Bill.
These deputatons represent the trades-unions
throughout the United Kingdom the agricultural
laborers for whom Mr.. Joseph Arch spoke weight
iyl the miners, The Clyde shipwrights, and work
ingmen generally, besides the Leeds Conference,
which Mr.. John Morley described as representing
$40 Liberal associations in all parts Ofthe country.
No previous demonstration of public opinion has
made such an impression or has spoken for many
powerful classes
TORY AND IRISH TACTICS.
These and other overwhelming proofs of the ire
sistible strength of the popular demand have con-
WINGED the Tories that the best chance of obstructng
the progress of the Reform Bill consists in embar-
RAISING the Ministry side issues. Hence the
Tory leaders propose to make their first attack, not
on the Reform Bill, but on the Egyptian policy of
the Government. Notice has already been given
that an amendment will be moved to the Address,
md division taken at the earliest moment.
-. 81 to4 4I,o
Franchise Bill remains uncertain. The latest ac-
count is that Mr.. ParneD will support the Tory de-
Inand for a statement of the Governments plan for
redistribution of seats unless the Ministers pledge
themselves that the present number of Irish men,
bers shall not be reduced-a pledge they could
neither give nor keep.
SPEECHES OF THE WEEK.
Mr. Bright aud Mr.. Chamberlain made two long
speeches each at Birmingham on Tuesday
and Wednesday, which surpassed all others
In general interest. Mr.. Brght's first speech
was pungent attack on the Tory party;
his second one was a destructive criticism
on Henry George, ridiculing the proposal to
.onfscate the land and asking why this American
invention had not first been tried in America. He
drew striking and elaborate comparison between
Mr. Georges scheme for Matchmaking land and the
Southern slave-owners' scheme for Matchmaking
labor, declaring that there was just as great
cruelty, just as great folly and just great in
Justice in the attempt to coniscate property in
land as in the Southern attempt to turn free labor
into slave labor. Mr. Bright's remedy for the land
troubles is to abolish primogenture and to facili-
tate the transfer of real estate.
Frederic Harrison one of the most eminent
Radicals in England and a social reformer, says
that Henry George is tryngto import into England
the morals of the Californian bandit and mail |
robber.
The most noticeable point in Mr.. Chanberlan's
speech was his eulogy the moderation of the
coming Reform Bill, which he described amodest
little bill proceeding the old lines of the COnsti-
tuition, interfering as little as possible with ex-
listing arrangements, and disturbing as little as pos
sible present privileges. This modest little bill is
expected TO enfranchise two millions men,
TWO CONTROVERSIAL ESSAYS
There are two striking articles in the February
magazines Herbert Spencer in The Contemporor,,
RereW advances the parodox that Liberals are
Tories of a new type, and that modern Liberalism
is steadily enlargng the coercive interference of the
State with individual liberty. He cites as examples
the inspection of schools the Cattle Disease act and
the Factories acts, admitting that they have good
motive, but insisting that they reverse former Lib
eral principles. The whole article is ingenious
extension of Mr.. Spencer's wei-known argument
that the State should govern as little as possible
In The Nineteenth Centurv Cardinal Newman makes