National Republican., 1885-11-18

JUST
-
The English Campaign.
NIr, John S. storr, Of King street, Covent
Garden, London, is one of many English
men who have permitted themselves to
get deeply interested, II not excited, over
the chaotic campaign now going on in their
country.
Mr.. Storr is, also, one Of the few Eng
lishmcn who have deemed Unnecessary toput
their impressions of the political situation
into print, in the shape Of circulars, and
send them broadcast over Europe and
America.
Mr.. storr accepts as truths the announce
ments made from every political platform
that the British people are "shortly to en-
gage in a great struggle'-the election Of
members of parliament-and that they-the
British people aforesad-have arrived at a
"crisis" in their country's history.
To the calm observer, situated three thou
sand miles from the scene Of the "great strug-
gle, !" the "crisis" does notappear phenome-
nally serious. A stupidly-dull campaign is
going on in daZed sort of way, neither
party seeming to have any definite notion of
whatit Is driving at. There have been few
exhibitions Of bad temper in relation to the
threat of church dlsestablishment. Two or
three clergymen have made themselves
ridiculous by reckless denunciation of dis
tiuguished public men. Three or four
speakers, at as many different places, have
been roughly handled by the populace. One
orator has been mobbed by factory girls.
But the campaign, as whole, is a quiet
one. The tories are sulky, the liberals hope
lessly split into factions, not at all likely to
be held together after the election is over.
Mr.. Storr, In his entertaining circular,
proceeds with degree of gravity betting
the solemn theme to inform the inhabi-
tants Of two continents that "two strong
currents Of activity are contending in our
mdst.n He says "our midstn because he
has not enjoyed the advantages of Uncle
| Danas teaching One of these "currcnts
of activity" is "teaching the sons of toll
| discomfort and rebellion under their hard
| lot.n The other "current Of activity is
"teaching self-reliance, self-help, self-con-
troll, cooperative industries" and divers
other good things. As a matter of course,
storr gives his approval.
"Discontent' and ''rebellionn are not
necessarily associated In the relation of
cause and effect. In all countries where
elective legislators make the laws the dis
contented endeavor to find relief in lawful
ways. The greatest teachers of discomfort
which the world has known In modern
a. 4
Philadelphia ON the 4th of July, 171G, and
| the magnificent success of the republic
| which has resulted from that declaration.
The English people-the working masses
| Of England-will not submit to "their hard
loti without protest. They will in the
future, as they have in the past, demand
| TN extension of their rights. They have
! just secured a great concession, almost a
! revolution, in the extension Of the suffrage.
| They got this by the aid of Gladstone aud
! the liberals, in spite of the tories.
| Mr. Storr tells us, with charming frank
ness, that to his mind at seems clear that
whilst the liberalism OF even twenty years
ago has been triumphant, both In the re-
forms II has accomplished and the stimulus
it has given to thought and action, it is
not sufficiently recognized that the obstl-
nate tOIyism Of even twenty years ago is a
thing Of the past"
Why is 1t ia thing Of the pastf" Would
it rot be thing of the present, grown ten
times more obstinate, ovcrbcaring, and ty
rnnpical, II it had not been fought at every
step by aggressive liberalismp 1t is "a thing
Of the past" for the same reason that the
old tenets Of the creed of the misnamed
Democratic party in the United States have
been rclegHted to the dust-pilc OF oblivion
The world moves in these days and th,
progressive elements in England are al
outside Of the party which Salisbury ant
the landed aristOcracy own aud control
Toryism is compelled to accept the inevita
bic. But when II goes forward It moves no
with alacrty and in a buoyant, hopefu
spirit, but sadly, regretfully complainingly
and with no confidence in the future.
"Of Mr.. Gladstone's love Of power and hi
belief in his own infallibilty, as commands
Of the ship Of the state, we have had enough,
says Mr.. Storr. "England has been hum
bled in the eyes of every continental states
man, and her position weakened in three
quarters of the globe"
If Mr.. Gladstone loves power he is no
an exception to the rule. His "belief II
his own infallibilityn is another way of say
ing that he has confidence in himself
rather necessary quality in party leader
II England has been "humbed" an,
"weakened" as alleged, 1t has been the re
suit Of causes which Gladstone did not pu
in motion, and whose effects statesmanshl
could not avert.
1t is remarkable that the able circular o
Mr.. Storr makes no mention Of the on
great question in British politics whic
towers above all others, the one Statesman
who, with clear eye and firm purpose, /
moving on toward victory, the one caus
which touches the American heart AM
warns it with fraternal sympathy. MI
Storr should look across the channel t
Ireland.