Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-03-29
slADsToNE's MINISTRY.
Its Position and How it Escaped a
Vote Of Censure.
A Ministry that Was Once the StrOnges
and is Nov One Of the Weak
est Among Nations.

LONDON, March 9.-Minlstrles, IKE men,
arrive sooner or later at period OF
decrepitude, and that is what has happened
to the once powerful ministry of Dir. Glad,
stone. 1t was once the most powerful
ministry of modern times II is now one
of the weakest 1t had q majority in the
House of Commons 100 strong; on Friday
it escaped destruction BY fourteen votes
In its manhood it entered cheer
fully upon the most prodigious tasks
and accomplished them lin ia
premature old age it seems incapable OF
forming decision or announcing policy.
II was once united aud irresistible. To-day
it is an assemblsge of discordsnt opinions.
For years it was supported by party which
differed on many points, but never IN ale
glance to its leaders. Now the party Is
split into as many sections as the Cabinet
and those who are faithful to Mr.. Gladstone
put on record their irreconcilable hostility
% his views on the question which is vital
n the reputation and existence OF the Gov
These contrasts are brought wildly t
mind BY the debate and division on the
Egyptian question, ending as they did on
Friday in what came so near being cstas-
trophe for the Cabinet. 1t is the fashion to
say that q ministerial catastrophe is IN
eyitable, with the lapse of time, and per
haps it is; but that Is a very incomplete
account of the matter. Mr. Gladstone 10
pilot VINO has weathered many storm. tie
would long since have weathered this hgyp
tan business had he known or cared what
col rse 10 steer, and kept MS
hand on the helm There have
betn divisions and disseutious in the
Cabinet before now, open as well as secret,
and ending in the resignation OF some OF
its ablest members. But the Cabinet never
seemed much weaker, aud the Government
did not falter. The difference day Is
that the malcontents remain and paralyze
action. The greatest difference OF all Is,
that the Prime Minister in all these earlier
troubles was Prime Ministers. He enforced
discipline and enforced his own purpose
He did not surrender the Irish Land Act
because the Duke of Argyll disapproved OF
it and forsook the Ministry. He did not re-
call the feet from Alexandria because Mr..
Br., hit had a horror OF commandments.
but ever since that memorable day IN July
Mr.. Gladstone has abandoned himself the
course of event AMI to the caprlces OF MS
colleagues. Nav, he has been his oTn
colleague.
On all other matters his authority ha
remained unbroken because he chose to as
sert it. On The Egyptian questions -ana
they have been inuumerable-he has shrunk
from taking decisions. He has refused to
look ahead, refused to see things as they
are, refused to accept the responsibilities
that fell upon him. He has headed the re-
volt against his own Government dis
main idea about Egypt is to get out Oft
His chief aim, it might almost be
said, was to forget, and to make
other people forget, the existence OF
Egypt. Ills chief hope was in the
chapter of accidents. But events took their
own course and not Mr.. GladstOnes. Each
evasion of duty brought more burdensome
and pressing duty. The Mahdi took as lit
tie note Of what was passing on the banks OF
the Thames as Mr.. Gladstone did OF what
was passing on the banks of the Nile; nor
did it occur to the Arab leader to raise the
the siege of Khartoum because Mr.. Glad
stone and Lord Salisbury had come to
terms about an English reform bill. |
said last autumn, IN commenting on Nj.
Gladstones speeches in Midlothian that
he had obviously resolved to fix the atten-
ton of his countrymen on the single ques
ton of extending the franchise. He was
successful so far as the three kingdoms
we're concerned His mistake was in be
ieying or hoping that events in Egypt
would wait upon his pleasure, and that Cor
don could not be in imminent danger pro
vided the agricultural laborer was admitted
to share in the parliamentary government
of Great Britain.
As for the parliamentary contest OF las
week, it must be said that the Ministry had
everything in its favor except the facts
The Tory attack was half hearted and halt.
witted. The feebleness OF leadership OF
VIII Oh the Tory party has so long complained
was never before so conspicuous. The
terms OF Sir Stafford Northcote s resolution
have been too sharply criticised by his io.-
lowers. 1t was not happy and certainly not
vigorous IN diction, but it would have an
swered the purpose fit had been supported
by speech worthy Of the occasion. Sir
Stafford best friends have not succeeded in
protesting to admire his speech. What the
House gathered from it was that he neither
expected nor strongly desired to turn the
Government out. Never had an opposition
better case against Ministry. Never
we're so good cards so badly played. The
Tory benches are not rich in orators, it is
true, but it was not oratSry that was most
wanted A plain, strong statement Of a
plain, strong case would have been enough.
There was nobody TO make it, unless Mr..
Gibson may be said to have made it. Mr..
Gibson is an excellent forensic speaker.
The House listens to him with pleasure, but
never forgets that he is lawyer, and there
is no speaker to whom the House gives so
little Of its confidence as lawyer.
Fer the country the deficiency was sup
Piled by the admirable speech Of Lord Sails
bury in the House of Lords, speech which
remains unanswered and unanswerable. In
tie Commons, all the weight Of hostile crit
cism on this Liberal Ministry came from
the Liberal benches. Mr.. John Morley
stated the Radical case with cogency and
effect, but the Radical case is summed up
in the word "scuttle slang is now
supreme-and the House of Commons
cared little for criticism directed to sacur
ing the immediate and ignominious rtrsat
Of British troops before barbarous and I'M
beaten enemy Mr.. Goscheu spoke, as he
always does, clearly and ably, and spoke
the true convictions of two thirds OF the
House when be pronounced the past policy
of the Government indefensible and its fu-
ture policy incomplete, without the state
ment Of some more definite purpose than
that Of destroying the power OF the
Mahdi at Khartoum. Mr. Gibson COZ
densed this policy into an epigram when he
described the Ministry as meaning to go to
Khartoum to please the Wings, and to
come away to please the Radicals. 1t had
been supposed that Mr.. Goschen, now as
before, would content himself with criti-
cism, and ultimately vote for his old friends