Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-09-21
GLADSTONE's POWER
--
How the DelpSic Utterances OF tbs
Grand Old Man
Rsuni!sd the c'umbIing Party OF
the Liberals.
He Will Get His Political Machinery
in Operation
And Then Retire From the Public
Stage Forever.

LONDON, September l9.-Mr. Gladstone
manifesto, the most delphic urterance he
ever made has proven the most successful
pamphleteeriDg of his life. The document
was secretly issued to his political col
leagues as early as last Monday. Its first
effect was the palpable r~eproschment be-
tween Mr.. Chamberlain, Lord Harrington
and Sir William Vernon Harcourt, the three
most powerful leadears next to the Elk Pre-
mier himself in the liberal party. Althree
are ambitious, and they had been pulling
apart. Each was taking a large following.
The Radicals were going with Chamberlain,
the Wings with Harrington, and Harcourt
was endeavoriDg to hold the Moderates to
gether. The Liberal party was gradually
being rent to pieces. The manifesto put o
stop to the ripping and the diVerging trium'
yirate at once set to work to replace the
stitches and with each effort cam closer
together. To-day, q week only having
elapsed, the Liberal party, in Great Britain
at least, is q solid unit.
Holding Together.
Mr.. Chamberlain may be said to be the
most rebellious leader in the Liberal party.
Before Mr.. G~ladstone's utterances, Mr..
Chamberlain's radical campaign tour in
cluded Glasgow, where no doubt. it was
entertained that he would repeat his pro
nouneed independence. But the orator
spoke in Glasgow after he had peruSed the
manifesto, and his speech displayed q prac'
| teal abandonment Of his independent rad
icalism and the adoption Of a policy Of op
| portunism. And so it has been with Lord
Harrington and Sir VIM. Vernon Hsrcourt,
Thew have also indicated complete
submission to Mr.. Gladstone. There
are two explanations Of these remarkable
submissions. No one doubts that if these
three leaders had been permitted to perse'
v, re in the course they had mapped out the
Liberal party would have been dismem'
bered.
1t was pretty generally thought that Mr..
Gladstone was tired OF public life, and had
decided TO retire. He was implored to re-
consider this determination and assume the
management Of the present campaign for
his party. Success in this campaign was
essential to the continued existence of the
Liberals as a party, and Mr.. Gladstone's
submission as
The Price of His Leadership.
1t is of course possible to suppose that
Chamberlain, Harrington and Hsrcourt
consented to drop their differences out OF
pure desire to accomplish the success OF
their party and to obtain this result pay
Mr.. G~lsdstone's price. But no doubt can
be entertained that each of these men has
been anxious to succeed the grand old man
in the leadership Of the party.
Circumstances have demonstrated that
the party will at present accept 40 leader
but him, and that without him restora-
ton to power is impossible. In
one of the opening sentences
of his manifesto Gladstone use the following
words: 1T viii not be possible for me to
repeat in the new Parliament the labors Of
previous sessions" This is accepted as q
q distinct assertion that he intends if vic.
torious in this campaign to confne himself
to the worko forming q ministry, and after
remaining in long enough to assure the sue
cessful working Of his r~e-established gov
ernmental machinery to retire permanently.
The Grand Old Mans Power.
1t is everywhere apparent that Mr.. Glad
stones effort has secured q marvellous and
instantaneous unity IN the Liberal party
and given it fighting spirit, The Tory
press %criticise Mr.. Glsdstone's address as
''perplexing," Ambiguous" hating" lone
Of the most inaccurate political documents
ever issued to the public" "a mere t~rayesty
on home and foreign affairs" etc. Even
the Liberal journals admit that the mani.
testo is vague and dltfuse,
but that it has been
extraordinarily effective has been demon
strated, and that result undoubtedly was
what Mr. Gladstone arrived at. The very
Yagueness, which characterize the docu-
ment have this mint that they permit lead
ers of the Liberal party to interpret the
whole production favorably according to
factionsl inclination and dissrming the
Conservatives of cogent criticisms.
The extreme Radical newspaper, the Dis
patch, commenting on the address that it
prefers the leadership of Mr.. Gladstone to
sven that Of Mr.. Chamberlain. he may not
be as Radical as we wish, but Radicsism
loses nothing BY hiding its time.
The moderate spectator declares that The
result of the manifesto will BE to enable the
Liberal party ITO march forward like =
wall"
AFactor OF Growing Importance
is found in the spread of Tory Primrose
League. This organization Isgrowing pow
erful through comprehensive organization.
1t is establishing lodges which are called
"~habitstion" in the remotesr district. These
"~habitations' are conducted On the prince
pie Of American campaign clubs and
aged with 8 view to disseminate htera-
ture and information and to keep alive
party spirit aud pide. Everything
possible is done to make membership tempt
ing and permanent. Ladies are induced %
Join and perform missionary work, and al
that money, social influence, political he
nature and talk can do to catch or coeFce
votes is unsparingly done by the Primrose
League.
Fast Vessels.
The British Admiralty having decided to
not contiRae the chanters of the fest vessels
secured for cruising purposes during the
ANGLO Russian dispute, foreign governments
are acquiring titles to many of them. ltaly
has abozt the Sterling castle the fastest
Gamer in the China trade. Russia has
offered q large sam for some tesner in
the Mexican trade and for other craft suit-
able far cruisers,