New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-24
rncr1Su rACrICS IND ALLIANCES.

ENGLISH TACTICS AND ALLIANCES
The political situation in England is still
clouded with uncertainty. The debate on the
Queen's Speech has served to disclose the
tactics of the leaders rather than Natlonai
policy or party tendencies. The parties are
still handwriting in the dark for positions
while the leaders, as our London correspond
ent saws in his review of the week, are marking
time all around. Note the Ministerial policy
has been settled The appointment OF new
Chief Secretary for Ireland is the pretext for
delav in introducing the coercion measures so
clearly foreshadowed in the Queens Speech.
With strange inconsistency, the Tories VINO
strenuouslvresisted Mr. Gladstone's attempt to
reform Parliamentary procedure, are no" 'hah-
ing il the first business OF the session 10 anehu
the rules so as to facilitate III que
time the passage of coerclve legislation.
The Government in this crisis has no lmmedl-
ate policy beyond the Strengthening OF the
present safeguards against obstruction. WIN
famine in some quarters of the island and dls-
tress in all, and with strike against rents I'M
minent. it has nothing better to propose than
changes IN the rules by which Mr.. ParnelPs In
creased resources may be neutraized. Inc
Ministers are content to govern Ireland Win
phrases and threats They challenge MI. Glad-
stone to ally his fortunes with those OF the
constitutional representatives, OF the island
The Liberal leader. with his party reluctant TO
follow him, naturally hesitates before burning
the bridges behind him. 1t is campaign con-
Quoted with Fabian tactics on either side ana
the opening manGuvres are neither brilliant
nor decisive.
The Conservative view of Mr.. Gladstone's re-
markable speech is reflected in our cable dis
matches. He is charged with bidding directly
for Parnellite alliance. This is fantastic
accusation from that quarter. The Conserva-
tives themselves overturned the Liberal Gov
eminent with the and of Irish votes and con-
Quoted the recent canvass in open alliance with
Mr. Parnel in English constituencies. II Lord
Randolph Churchill had not intrigued with the
Irish members and privately arranged Tor the
suspension of the Crimes Act. there would nave
been q Liberal majority large enough to legis-
late for the island independently OF the Nation
alists. If Mr. Gladstone is making overtures
for Irish support, he is only repeating the Tory
tactics-in fact, checkmating them III Their own
game
But is it to be accounted a political
crime for Mr.. Gladstone to obtain assist
apce from the Irish members III settling
the Irish question: In the practical judgment
of Americans it is so much less than crime as
to be a positive virtue. The great source OF
weakness in all English attempts to legsiate
for Ireland has been the lack of cooperation
with the representatives of the island. The
English cannot succeed in disposing OF the Irish
question until they are ready to accept irish
aid. When Mr.. Gladstone appealed to the
country for a majority large enough to settle
the Irish question without interference from
Mr.. Parnell he was illogical. That would have
been an English adjustment and compromise
that would not have settled anything. II 1t be
true that heis now endeavOring to bring the Par
nellites and the Liberals into some working ar
rangement his position is more logical than his
Midlothian appeal. The constituencies which
sent the sc Nationalist to Westminster III
tended that those members should have some
thing to say in the settlement of the Irish ques-
ton. Those SO members must be consutedb by
English statesmen, or else tho island VIII re-
main a centre of disloyalty and agrarian dis
content and a source of fatal weakness 10 the
Empire i'll any European war that may arise.