New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-10
Mr. GLADSTONES DEFEAT.

MR. GLADSTONES DEFEAT
The lonc.expec.ed crisis in the fortunes OF
the Gladstone Ministry has something of the
effect of surprise. The debates on vexatious
ouestions Of foreign policy had closed; the date
of the general election had been approximately
agreed upon and the few measures remaining
to be disposed of apparently presented no IN
superable difficulties The Crimes ACT was Il
compromise, which the Conservatives wonld DC
forced to sanction even if the Radicals should
persist in their opposition to 1t; and the pros
meet of peace with Russia seemed to give the
Government a Convenient excuse for resembling
unpopular taxes proposed in the budget Inc
coolest observers In England expected that the
Government, while discrcdited at home ana
abroad. would escapc.defeat both on the budget
and the Crimes Act and emerge, II not with
dignity and power at least with semDlance oil
discipline and organization from the vlclsNi-
tpdes of tbe closing session. The decisive
defeat on the budget has startled the polItIcai
managers on both sides. Their calculations
have been suddenly disturbed by an event
which they did not in reality anticipate
although they knew that the relations oi parties
and factions were in a critical stage ana that
the Government had exhausted the patience oil
the country as well as its own political
resonIces. The comments of the London press
indicate that neither of the great parties is pre-
pared for the emergency and that the Govern
ment's defeat was unexpected. in their
bewllderment the Conservative journals are
actually entreating the Ministry to remain III
office. since n general election is impractlcable
at present.
Themore closely the vote is scanned, the more
confusing seems the political situation, The
test question upon which the budget has been
rejected was the proposed increase in the duties
on beer and spirits. The Conservative leaders,
taking advantage of the popular revolt against
| these taxes, invcighed against them as at once
neonitable and unnecessary. Mr.. Gladstone
found no difficulty in replying to Their obJec-
! tions and clearly had the best of the argument.
| He gave excellent reasons for leaving the wine
duties as they were, and proved that in order to
| replace the beer and spirits taxes tea would
| have to bear an additional charge OF thrcepence
| per pound. The Prime Minister'S foreign policy
might be discredted, but his authority as n
practical fnancier could not be questioned; ana
| those who voted against him must have felt
| that they were establishing a dangerous pre-
cedent in defeating the Government on tech
meal question of method of raising necessary
revenue. If they convinced themselves that 1t
was safe to do this, it was because they were
aware that the precise question at issue was oil
little consequence and that majority against
| the Ministry would be regarded generally as
| implying want of confidence i'll the present con-
| duct of foreign and domestic affairs.
| This is the plain reading of the vote of the
| Commons. The Parnellitcs voted against the
| Government in body, as they have done many
| times before Their action was devoid OF
| significance. But the abstentiOn of Radicals
| and Wings to which the defeat of the Ministry
| is to be attributed, implied lack of confidence in
| a Government that had weakened itself abroad
by fritteIing away its advantages in Egypt and
by igno5ly consentng TO hollow truce in Cen
trail Asia, and no longer retained authority over
its supporters in domestic legislation. Policies
of retreat on the Nile, surrender in Afghanistan
and compromise in LELAND, had combined to
undermine the Minstry's shattered influence.
| There was discomfort in the two main sections
| of the Liberal party, and while discipline was
still maintained, there were stragglers III
sufficient force to place the Conservatives and
Parnellites in a majority. The Government
WAS so thoroughly dscredited by constant exhi-
billions of weakness, vacilatiOn and instability
| that it could not stand alone, even when the
dissolution Of Parliament had been virtually
| decreed.
The logic Of English precedent involves the
! Immediate resignation Of the present Ministry.
| If the Queen does not accept the resignation OF
| the Prime Minister it will be because the Con-
servatives are not prepared to govern the
| country under the existing circumstances.
Whether new Ministry be formed at once, or
the present one be retained in power long
enough to conclude the negotiations with
Russia and its appeal to the constituencies IN
| the autumn, it Is certain that Mr.. Gladstones
! second Government has received a mortal blow.
His first Administration ended disastrously
after long term of legislative industry, as
| harassing as it was useful and beneficial. His
second Administration has accomplished. results
so remarkable in domestic legislation that it
will always be entitled to great place among
English Ministries The passage OF the Land
| Act was one of the bodest and most progress
sive remedial experiments ever made i'll any
| country, and the Franchise bill with the sup
Elementary measure for the redistribution OF
| seats is the third great landmark of the century
| in the Acknowledgement of the English people.
Few governments have ever attempted, not
one has accomplished, reforms so large in effect