The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-06
Lord Salisbury Undecided as to the PrOpriety
of Retaining 0fice-The Attitude of
the Moderate Liberals.
THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS.


Tho Parties Very Evenly Balanced, and the
Politicians Greatly Perplexed.
LONDON, Dec. 5.-The political situation to-
night is one of perplexity to all British politi-
clans. The Liberals close the week with tie
with the Tories and Parneites combined.
There are, however, enough counties yet to vote
to make the whole issue one of absolute uncer-
tainty. A glance at the history of the cam
paign will make the reason of this plain. When
Mr.. Gladstone was defeated in the parliamentary
vote in which the Home Rulers withdrew their
strength from him. he knew that his absentee
votes, added to the votes he Tailed, would be
more than sufficient to overcome the entire
allied opposition. He was disgusted with his
whole relationship to the Irish party, and, con-
fdent in his strength, resigned power in order to
regain it on new foundation, whenever he
should be independent of the Irish members.
He desired to have at his back British ma
jority, so that whatever he might do for
Ireland should be accepted as con-
cession and not as an eXtortion. He
felt entirely able to accomplish this result He
had enfranchised two million voters and felt
certain that his party would gain largely from
this measure. When the campaign opened,
however, the Radical leaders went off on their
own hook, ana tried to secure an alliance with
the Home Rulers, with whom they believed they
could secure the government for themselves
While engaged in this effort, the Radicals COM
mitted themselves to several very
advanced principles which were popu-
lar throughout Ireland and Scotland and
in the English rural provinces, and among the
bulk of the newly ly-enfranchised voters. Among
these was disestablishment. The Parnellites,
however, courted an alliance with the Tories,
who were then in the first flush of power, and
stronger with the people than with the Home
Rulers, who accordingly flirted with the Radicals
in order to secure better terms with the Con-
servatives. The latter finally agreed to the Irish
terms, and the Parnell- Salisbury compact
was announced AS defenders of the English
Church, the Conservatives received so much en-
couragement that they felt confident of success.
In the meantime Mr.. Gladstone by almost su
perhuman efforts, had succeeded in dwarfng
the Importance of the disestablishment issue by
localizing it in Scotland, where it is popular
with the majority, and throwing it ont from the
campaign altogether in England, where it is
unpopular with the majority. By this
achievement he stopped the stampede from his
ranks and brought back thousands of the de-
serters. The voting had now begun in the large
towns. The Liberal party gradually drew
strength. The Parnelites stood together to
man. While they have voted in all cases against
the Liberal candidates aud in favor Of the Tory
nominees in districts wherein no Nationalist can
didate was running, they have practically parted
company with tho Tories.
At the time of writing the Liberals have
elected 313, the Conservatives 243, and the Par
nelltes 70. While Gladstone has, therefore,
majority over the Tories they and the Homo
Rulers tie him. Never before in England was
political situation like this. There are four
distinct and distinctive parties The Radicals
and Liberals are nominally united, and so are
the Tories and Home Rulers The lat
ter alliance is unreliable, while the former
is natural. The Radicals claim the credit of the
Liberal success among the new voters, and the
Liberals claim it among the old. The Conserva-
tives are in hopeless minority without the solid
Parnell vote, and would be helpless with it
against the Radical and Liberal vote
combined. On the other hand, the Par
nelites could always depend upon large
Radical vote on any fair parliamentary measure
in the interest of Ireland. From this it is plain
that if the Tories should retain power they could
never be certain of their ability to pass any
measure, even with the Irish vote, and could
never be sure of commanding that. Such gov
ernment would simply be impotent and ridicu-
lous. If the Liberals should assume power, they
could never count on the whole Radical
VOTE and consequently would be without
the. ability to command majority for any of
their government measures. The Radicals
might affiliate with the Parnellites but if they
should do so. the Liberals and Conserva-
tives would assuredly combine against
them. The situation is one of
unparalleled perplexity. It shows that the
people of Great Britain are clearly divided into
four parties no two of which are analogous. It
makes the prospective British government de-
pend upon party policy It demonstrates that
there is at present no majority in Great Britain
for any defined policy. Neither the Liberal nor
the Tory party can, it would appear, take the
government without compact to ally itself with
the other on all English measures against one
branch of its own organizatlon-the Liberal
party to act with the Tories against the Rad-
Gals, or the Conservatives to act with the Liber-
ais against the Irish.
week ago the Conservatives were so certain
of retaining power, that Cabinet council was
called, to meet next Monday, to arrange gov
ernment programme To-day the situation is so
changed that this council has been postponed
for week, in order to await
the final outcome of the elections. before taking
any action. 1t is plain that Lord Salisbury is
now disinclined to remain in Office without the
necessary support to carry on the government,
The Liberals are divided in opinion as to
whether they should take office or not
The Radicals demand that if the Liberals
secure majority of twenty members over the
number elected by the Conservatives and Par
nellites together. Lord Salisbury shall resign be-
fore the meeting of Parliament They take the
ground that the Liberals can easily carry on the
government with ever so small majority,
provided the Conservatives can always be
depended upon to support the minority against
the Parneites. The moderate Liberals, however,
prefer that Mr. Gladstone shall decline Office and
adopt policy of guarded support of Lord Sal
isbury. This policy involves practical
recasting OF party lines. a union of the
against the Irish and Radicals. Such an organi-