The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-04
The Great and Momentous Issues Which Hang
Upon the SuIrsgcS Of Two Millions of
New and Ignorant Voters.
A Contest Which viii Determine the
Policy Of England for Many Years.
No Disagreement Between England and Ger
many on the Roumelian Question Fight
ing on the Bulgarian Frontier.
A moMENToUs CONTEST.

Vast Importance of the Coming Political
struggle i'm Great Britain.
LONDON, Oct 3-The Tories are not yet
ready to begin the campaign for supremacy
in the next Parliament Their government
have, therefore, decided to postpone dissolution
until the 9TH of December. The reason given
to the public for this action is that
the difficulties growing out of the enor-
nous registration under the enlargement
of the franchise require the extended
time for adjudication and adjustment The
campaign, when it does open, will be the
fercest and most thoroughly contested ever
fought in Great Britain. Every voter in the
country will probably be reached and interested
Those possessing the franchise are badly enough
muddled for the Churchill Tories are counting
the Irish Home Rulers, while the Rad
icals are clanoring for maintenance Of the
empires integrity. Tho two millions Of
men enfranchised by Mr. Gladstone, as rule
belong to class much inferior in intelligence
to any that have ever had a voice in British
affairs They have never, as a rule, had any
interest in public questions, and never had
occasion to learn anything at all about politics
When the United States enfranchised the black
men, hardly 100000 voters were added to the
list; when they began to vote they were
Influenced by sentiment which was
practically unanimous among them, and which
was, at the time at least. inteliigently wise
England has as suddenly added nearly three
times as many voters TO her suffrage list and
the addition certainly contains large mass of
ignorance. While gratitude to the Liberal
party for the franchise may sway many of these
new voters, it would be folly to calculate
upon it as a feeling which will prevail
with any large portion of them. Practically,
the whole number have no decided political
Jennings They will be Liberal or Tory, accord
Ing to the influence brought to bear upon them.
The result of the coming election will be
stupendous upon the destiny of England. It
may decide whether the English trade policy
shall be free or protective; whether the church
and state shall be divorced, or remain united;
whether unifcation or disintegration Of the
empire shall ensue; whether Great Britain shall
continue to interfere in foreign affairs and
remain among the first powers, or hold aloof and
fall back into tho second rank. It may decide
even whether arstocracy in England shall con-
All these are now live questions. and it
appears to be an extraordinary thing
that the Parliament which may be called
upon to settle some, if not all of these mement-
Gus issues, will take its temper from the chance
way in which a majority of the 100000 of new
and uneducated voters may cast their first bal
lots for it is fair TO that before the close
of the campaign, the parties will have arrayed
the old voters pretty we'll on the old lines, and
that the issue will be decided by the new ballots.
Even now. two months beforei dissolution,
there are l. 126 candidates already in the field.
contesting for the 500 seats belonging to England
in the House of Commons. Nearly every seat
is being contested. There are many instances
in which several candidates contesting the
same constituency In this latter respect. how
ever, the Liberals are at present worse divided
than the Tories. The latter are under much
better party discipline and their party agents
are bending their energies to prevent party
splits The Parnellitos remain united aud indie
pendent of alliances. 1t is admitted, however,
even by Liberal newspapers, that if Mr. Parnell
succeeds in making bargain with the Tories to
stand with them upon common PLATFORM the
Liberal majority will stand in danger of disap-
i pearing altogether.