The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-08
POLITICS AND RELIGION,

Churcn observation-disclosures In England, and the
Interest 1t Has Awakened.
LONDON, Nov. THE Irish question has, for
the moment, given way to the religious question
in British politics. Mr.. Parnell is permitted to
go on arranging his campaign and nominating
his candidates in Ireland pretty much
as he pleases, while the voters in England
and Scotland are set by the ears over
the question of disestablishing the
church. The controversy has become exceed
ingly bitter. It has been described as ''the COM
bat of the Established Church, fighting for life,
against the dissenters, struggling to destroy the
state monopoly of religion" Everybody in
Great Britain has become deeply interested in
the contest and itsis now thought that the re-
suit of the elections will hinge en-
tirely on the church question alone.
The engrossing Importance in this
campaign, of the question of disestablishment,
is due to the preponderating influence of the
Radicals in the Liberal party. At the opening
of the contest the leaders on both sides acted as
if they thought that the campaign would be
fought on the question of foreign policy 1t was
soon found however, that the Conservatives,
having nothing better to offer on this
ISSUE IMAM tAelr predecessors IN ONCE,
would soon go to pieces in
political struggle based on that question, and
the campaign shifted to Irish matters. On
these the Tories got the better of the Liberals
and secured coalition with the Home Rulers.
While the Liberals had chance of affiliating
with the Parnellites, they comparatively ignored
the Radicals. The latter, therefore, opened
campaign on their own account, and they made
the promise to work for disestablishment as
the most important pledge in their platform.
When Mr. Gladstone and his Liberal
colleagues were aroused by the detection of the
Parnellites to the necessity of securing closer
union with the Radicals. The latter had raised
the issue of dsestablishment to such prominence
that it could not be removed from the contro-
versy Mr.. Gladstone was compelled, therefore,
in securing an alliance with the Radicals,
to leave such Radical and Liberal can
didates as were already in nomination
free to remain steadfast to their pledges.
So many of these candidates had pledged them
selves to disestablishment that the Conserva-
tives forced the question to the front, and ar
rayed themselves unitedly in favor Of the Estab-
lished Church. They derived immense assist
ance from the Catholic clergy of Great Britain
nent British Catholic prelates joined the Con-
seryatives in defending the church, taking the
ground that any religion was better than no
religion, that the Established Church was one of
Englands greatest bulwarks against immoral
ity, and that to save it from destruction was
moral duty. This but served to cement the
union between the Catholic Home Rulers and the
Conservatives and to make the whole question
of prime Importance. The Conservative leaders
were inspired to renewed activity and they
n no fob
that the people of Great Britain are
tonight thoroughly aroused and clearly
divided on this exciting religious question, and
every clergyman has become, for the time,
bitterly partisan politician enc of the two
sides to the controversy. The conservative Lib
erals are now doing their utmost to get the
question removed from the canvass The Lib
eral associations are everywhere attempting to
discard it from the programme of their party.
1t is more than probable, however, that the tacit
recognition of their 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 num-
Der of candidates they will elect to the next
Parliament. 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
majority as to indicate an overwhelming public
expression in favor of their retirement Unless
Mr.. Gladstone can succeed in diminishing the
advantage which the Tories at present have
in the religious ISSUE 1t will be difficult if not
impossible, for him to secure majority large
enough to permit of his restoration to power.
The difficulties which lie in his way may be seen
in the following facts: Of the thousand Lib
eral candidates in the field in
Great Britain, 4SO are pledged to favor
disestablishment The constituencies contested
by these candidates will nearly all insist OIL their
fidelity to these pledges. The Scotch ministers,
in their address, declare: 1.-THE time has come
to sever the relations between the state and the
church, Dissenting Christians have
refrained too long from making this contest, and
we now insist that the coming Parliament
terminate the unjust and injurious connection"
There is good deal of anxiety to know what
attitude Mr. Gladstone will publicly assume on
this question He will speak in Scotland next
week. The church defense leagues of Edinburg
have arranged to make great public demonstra-
ton in that city on the night of the ex-Premers
arrival there, and the dissenters are preparing
counter demonstration for the same evening.