The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-11
LONDON LETTER.
The Conduct of the Present
Parliamentary Campaign.
CHURCH AND STATE
The Great Religions Wrangle IN
Which the Politicians Have
Become Involved.

In Ireland pretty much as ne pleases, wmle
the voters in England and Scotland are set
fishing the church. The controversy has
become excitingly bitter. It has been
described as q combat of the established
church fighting for life against the dissent
ers struggling to destroy the State mon
opoly Of religions. Everybody in Great
Britain has become deeply interested in the
contest and it is now thought that the
result of the elections will hinge entirely on
the church question alone.
The engrossing Importance of this cam
paign OF the disestablishment is due to the
preponderating influence Of the Liberal
party. At the opening of the contest the
leaders on both sides acted as if they
thought the campaign would be fought on
the question OF foreign policy. 1t was
found, however, that the Conservatives,
having nothing better to offer on this issue
| than their predecessors in Office, would
have soon gone to pieces in political
| struggle based on that question, and the
campaign was shifted to Irish matters. On
this question the Tories got the best OF the
Liberals, and secured a coalition with the
Home Rulers. While the Liberals had
| chance of af1iliating with the Parnellites,
| they completely ignored the Radicals.
The latter, therefore, opened q campaign
on their own account, and they made
promise to work for the disestablishment
as the most important pledge in their plat
form. When Gladstone and his Liberal COL
leagues were aroused by the DETECTION Of
| the Parnellites to the necessity of secnr1"
| a closer union with the Radicals, the latte.
| had raised the Issue of disestablishment to
| such prominence that it could not be re-
moved from the controversy. Mr.. Glad
stone was compelled, therefore, in securing
an alliance with the Radicals to leave such
Radical and Liberal candidates as were
already in nomination free to remain
sieadfast to their pledges. So many OF
those candidates had pledged themselves to
disestablishment that the Conservatives
forced the question to the front and arrayed
| themselves unitedly in favor Of the estab-
| lshed church.
They derived immense assistance from
the Catholic clergy of fGreat Britain, headed
| by Cardinal Newman, the Conservatives in
defending the church, taking the ground
| that any religion WAS better than no re-
lihion; that the established church was one
of England's greatest bulwarks against
| immortality, and that to save it from de-
struction was moral duty. This served
but to cement the union between the
Catholics, Home Rulers and Conservatives,
and to make the whole question OF prime
Importance. Conservative leaders were in
spired to renewed activity, and they have
succeeded in SO forcing the fight that the Peo-
pie of Great Britlin are to.no..SS eno rough.
| ly aroused and d'videa jill. IN .nl1 nsar s>zc'ted
EbTao bas bscois isiRoaip ioI :me neo letter
politician on OF the two sides to the
controversy.
The conservative Liberals are now trying
| to get the question removed from the can
vass. The Liberal Association are every
where attempting to discard it from the
programme Of their party. 1t is more than
probable, however, that the practical re-
cognition of their mistake has come too
late. This statement is not meant to con-
vey the idea that the Tories and Parnell-
ties combined will beat the Liberal and
Radical in the number OF candidates they
will elect to Parliament. As matters stand
the Liberals will probably elect the greater
number, but the Tory party has declared
it's intention to remain in power unless they
are defeated by so large majority as to
Indicate an overwhelming public expression
in favor of the retirement. Unless Glad
stone can succeed in diminishing the ad
vantages which the Tories at present have
in the religious issue twill be difficult, hnot
impossible, for him to secure q majority
10 roe enough in the next Parliament to per-
NIT of his restoration to power. The diff
culties which lie in his way may be seen IN
the following facts: OF the thousand ana
more Liberal candidates now in the field in
Great Britain 4S9 are pledged to favor dis
establishment. The Constituencies con,
tested by these candidates will nearly all
insist on their fidelity to their pledges.
~ ,..,.., -,
! In Scotland the embarrassments IN the
ex-Premier's way are particularly great.
One thousand, four hundred and seventy
dissenting Scotch clergymen have signed an
address to him, declaring that they look to
him to overthrow the state OF the church.
In This remarkable political address these
Scotch ministers declare that 1.-THE time has
couoe tn seyer the relations between the
church and state. Dissenting Chrls1ans
have refrained too long from making TINS
contest. and we now insist that the coming
| Parliament terminate the unjust and IN.
;nrious connection" Chamberlain and
bike. the Liberal leaders, have privately
urged Gladstone to placate the Scotch vot-
| ers to have their establishment secured ior
them. il it be their will, leaving the question
IN Enpla nd to be settled by future events.
There is a great deal of anxiety to know what
attitnde Gladstone will assume on this
question, He will speak in Scotland next
week. The Church Defense Leagues OF Edln-
hnrqh have arranged to make great pub
liz demonstration in that city on the night
nj the ex.Premier's arrival there, and the
dissenters are preparing counter demon
| stration for the same evening.