Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-08
ENGLAND'S GREAT FIGHT.
CHURCH Observation-Disclosures
THE LEADING ISSUE.


has for the moment given way to the re-
ligious question in British politics. Mr..
Parnell is permitted to go on arranging
his campaign and nominating his candi-
| dates In Ireland pretty much as he
pleases, while the voters In England and
Scotland are set by the ears over the ques-
ton OF disestablishing the church. The
controversy has become exceedingly Bit
ter. 1t has been described as "the COM
bat Of the established church fighting for
lie against the Dissenters struggling to
destroy the State monopoly of religion"
EVERYBODY INTERESTED.
Everybody ia Great Britain has become
deeply Interested in the contest, and it is
now thought that the result of the cleo
| tlOns viii hinge entirely on the church
question alone. The engrossing import
ance IN this campaign of the question of
dls9stablishment is due to the prepOnder-
ating influence OF the Radicals in the Lib
eral party. At the opening of the contest
the leaders on both sides acted as il they
thought that the campaign would be
fought on the question Of the foreign poll
cy. 1t was soon found, however. that the
| Conservatives having nothing better to
offer on this issue than their predecessors
in office would soon 90 to pieces in a pO-
litical struggle based on that question,
and the campaign was shifted to Irish
matters.
TORIES CREEP AHEAD.
On these the Tories got the better of the
Liberals and secured coalition with the
home rulers. While the Liberals had a
chance OF atdliauon with the Parnellites
they comparatively ignored the Radicals.
The latter therefore opened a campaign
fhaTrs H1,rrr
| promise TO work for disestabushment as
/ the most important pledge in their plat
| form. When Mr.. Gladstone and his Lib
| eral colleagues were aroused by the defec-
ton OF the Parneliites to the necessity Of
! securing closer union with the Radicals,
the latter had raised the issue of discs
tabishment to such prominence that it
could not be removed from the controyer-
| sy. Mr.. Gladstone was compelled there
fore IN securing an alliance with the
Radicals, to leave such Radical and Lib
eral candidates as were already IN nOmi-
nation free to remain steadiast 10 their
pledges.
CONSERVATIVES FORCE THE ISSUE.
So many of these candidates had
pledged themselves to disestablishmen
that the Conservatives forced the ques-
ton to the front and arrayed themselves
untedly in favor Of the established
church. They derived immense assist
ance from the Catholic clergy OF Great
Britain, headed by Cardinal Newman
The more prominent British Catholic
prelates Joined the Conservatives in de-
Tending the church, taking the ground
that any religion was better than no re-
ligi0n; that the established church was
one OF England's greatest bulwarks
against immortality, and that to save it
from destruction was moral duty.
CENIENTING THE UNION.
This but served to cement the union be-
tween the Catholic Home Rulers and the
Conservatives, and to make the whole
question Of prime importance. The Con-
sentative leaders We're inspired to renewed
activity, and they have succeeded in so
forcing the fight that the people of Great
Britain are tonight thoroughly aroused
and divided on this exciting religious
question, and every clergyman has be-
come for time a bitterly partisan poll
tician on one Of the two sides to the con
troversV. The Conservative Liberals are
now doing their utmost to get the question
removed from the canvas. The Liberal
associations are everywhere attempting
to discard it from the programme OF their
party.
GONE TOO FAR TO BE REMEDIED.
1t is more than probable, however, that
the tactical recognition OF this mistake
has come too late. This statement is not
meant to convey the idea that the Tories
and Parnellites combined will beat the
Liberals and Radicals in the number of
candidates that they will elect to the next
Parliamenf. AS matters stand, the
Liberals will probably elect the greater
number but the Tory party has declared
its intention to remain IN power unless
they are defeated by so large a majority
as 70 indicate an overwhelming public
expression in favor Of their retirement.
GLADsToNE's ONLY CHANCE.
Unless Mr.. Gladstone can succeed I'm
diminishing the advantage which the
Tories at present have in the religious
issue, It VIII be difficult, If not impossible,
for him to secure a majority large enough
In the next parliament TO permit Of his
restoration to power. The difficulties
which lie IN his way may be seen in the
following facts:
OF the 1000 and more Liberal candi-
dates now in the field in Great Britain
$50 are pledged to favor disestabishment.
The constituencies contested by these
candidates VIII nearly ali insist on their
fidelity to the pledge.
THE SITUATION IN SCOTLAND.
In Scotland the embarrassments which
lie L. the ex-Premier's way are particu-
larly great. One thousand four hundred
anu hENGuAN MAhHNuAAuE 7gpith iAtA u y AiitU
have signed an address 10 him, declaring
that that they look to him to overthrow
the State church. Ia this remarkable
political address these Scotch ministers
declare: "Tne time has come 10 sever the
relations between tho church and the
state. Dissenting
Christians have refrained too long from
making this contest, and we now insist
that the coming Parliament terminate
this unjust and injurious connection.
PLAN or THE RADICALS.
Joseph Chamberlain and Sir Charles
Dixie. the RadIc al leaders, have privately
urged Mr.. Gladstone 20 placate the Scotch
vote by promising 20 nave dlse5tablish-
ment secured for them IL 10 bo their Will.
leaving the question IN England 30 be
settled by future events. There Is "a great
deal OF anxiety 10 know what attitude
Mr.. Gladstone will publicly assume on
this question. He will speak In Scotland
next week. The church defense leagues
OF Edinburgh have arranged 10 make
great public demonstration in that city
on the night OF the eX-Premier's arrival
there. aud the dissenters are preparing a
counter demonstration for the same even
ing.