New-York tribune., 1886-05-04
Mr. GLADsT1Nss MANIFEs7O.

IA
Mr. Gladstoues manifesto is ii bugle-call for
the second reading of the Home Rule bill. Ad
dressed nom nally To the Midlothian electors
and indirectly to the people of England and
Scotland, it is evidently designed to influence
waverinc Liberals and to command working
majority in the critical division that is rapidly
approaching. 1t stlikes at the core OF the
measure, the principle of separate 'glslatuIe
for Ireland, and dsmi,ses everything else as
Of secondary importance. The PRIME Minister
contends that Irish representation at West
Minister the financial elements of tie scheme
and the composition of the lIish legislature are
subordinate quest ons which may be settled in
detail after full discussion in committee COLI
oucted in p conciiatOry spirit. He dces not
ask the House to vote on these matters at once.
But he does call upon the members 10 pass
jud 1ment d, cisively upon The principle oil Home
Rule. The IRISH people through their constitu-
tional representatives demand separate Par
lament. Snall they have it7 That is the
single piv OF upon which he desires to have the
second reading of the bill turn.
The oby ious criticism upon this method OF
procedure is that the transition from an intri-
cate and complex scheme of constructive legis
be a separate Irish Parliament T. is too alb
Iupt. The Liberal malcontcnts may with con-
siderable force reply that Mr.. Gladstone should
have begun by Introducing resolution in favor
of Home Rule rather than have unioldel his
plan in detail. They may with justice object
to the enormous condensation tn which he sub
ircts his measure and contend that by all the
precedeuts and rules OF the House favorable
vote on the second reading will IMPLY accept
ancc, not of one principle alone, but OF The mann
lines of the legislative proposals. Dir. Glad
stone certainly cannot deny that he Is present
ing this subject to the country in a somewhat
erTatc manner. lie has worked out Home
Rnle in his own fashion and has formally asked
Pai lament to sanction the IRISH C0n>titul on
which lie has framed. He now requires a
the fundamental proposition, "Snall the Irish
people have IA Constitution ~ That is To say, the
second reading shall not turn upon Mr. Glad
stones Hone Rue bill, bat upon the abstract
principle of a separate legislature for LELAND
This is reducing Parliamentary action on
measure of the first magnitude to a system of
what may well be termed tremendous simple
Ity.
The Prime Minister, while not altogether
logical in asking the members to discriminate
50 sharply between the principle itself and Il
very elaborate scheme of applying that pin
cipe in detail, is justiiird in uveling attention
TO what Is of paramount importance. The main
question which England and Scotland through
their representatives, nave now To determine Is
whether they viii give heed 10 the voice If thc
Ir,h people. ii they do thcy Hili follow tbe
counsel OF the Engl~h-> speaking race Though
out the world. Mr.. Gladstone is wholly night
when he declares mat Home l. lie ,s advocated
to-day by The irsh Representatives, aud tue
bdk of the Liberal patty Is REGARDED with
VAIN and iratcrnal sympathy IN AmeIca,
Canada aud Australia. Ga this qucs i"n MI.
Gladstone r. not against tne world. Mf. Glal-
stone and The word ar, .lgain~t certain classes
of English society. As he himself elOquentIy
says IL a passage OF his manifesto that ought 10
stir the democratic pulse in England: "On