The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1886-02-10
POLITICAL SITUATION.
The Three Leading Governments Of Europe
Graphing With Questions Of
Social Reform.
The Irish Land Question Must be Settled
by the Gladstone Cablnet-Bis-
marck Dealing with the
People Midway.
THE SITUATION.

LONDON, Feb. S.-An analysis Of the
political situation of yesterday reveals the
three leading governments of Europe, those
Of England, Germany and Russia graphing
with dangerous questions Of social reform.
The treatment varies, but the disease is iden-
tcal. The Gar sternly represses the aspira-
tlons of the great Russian peasantry and
sends the Nlhllsts to freeze In Siberia. Bis
marck and the Emperor William try to foil
the Socialists by outdoing them in schemes
of communstc reform, while in this count
ry the masses have been invited by the new
franchise law to send representatives to Par
lament, and social theorists, like Chamber
lain, Morley and contingently Dix, are put
into positions where they can test their new
tangled IDEAS
Morley, who is tho most talked of man In
London to-day, and who is the only true
representative man in the Cabinet, said a
while ago in his FortnighuD Rcuteto that
there were hardly half dozen men
in public life in England who believed In
the inspiration of the Christian religion or
in the code of morals II inculcated, or In the
principles Of the social system supposed TO
be bosed upon 1t, but that they all conformed
to the requirements of the established order
Of things out of mere policy and because
they did not dare to set any other example
before the common people
1t is privately known here that Gladstone
himself entertains beliefs in regard to ulti-
mate social changes that would literally
paralyze some of his Wing adherents II he
should promulgate them. But he will not
promulgate them and they will probably
never become publicly known, except as an
inadvertent phrase in the heat Of debate
may here and there give some slight inkling
of what is In his thought Of thoughts. This
has been known to occur, but his ruling
policy Is TO declare himself only such q
point In advance of the mass OF men as he
believes himself capable of leading them up
TO and not 80 far as to run the risk Of losing
his hold on practical politics by incurrng
popular dIstrust as radical theorist, This
is precisely the attitude Of Morley, as any
one who may read his volume Of many years
ago entitled compromise" will remember.
As TO Chamberlain, he has openly de-
| clared that his reason for accepting the
Presidency Of the Local Government Board,
usually regarded as a minor Office that he
hopes to be able TO put into practical opera
| tion, through that department, some OF the
| ideas for the betterment Of the masses which
he so ardently believes in.
The Irish land question must, of course,
be settled by this Cabinet of theorists in
| some way involving more or less OF con-
cession TO the popular demands for owner
| ship by the community. The tenant farm
ers of Wales and the crofters Of Scotland,
| and even the farmers Of England itself, are
only waiting TO see how much the Irish get,
then they will certainly demand no less, and
as all socialism rests upon q change in the
| land system, the ball will only have been
well set rolling when the readjustment of
land ownership has been made. Then will
come questions OF poor relief, equitable tax
alton ON rich and poor alike, the abolition OF
| primOgeniture. and all those wolves that
howl around the doors Of the complacent
English nobleman or plutocrat even now,
but which will be greatly encourage inferi-
ority by the time the theorists have got the
door little open for them. How II will all
end can only be cOnjectured, but TO any OBJ
servant man you talk with, he admits that
there is great deal Of playing with the fire
going on.
The Car is trying exactly the opposite
policy. Concession Is word that has not
been translated into Russian, probably be-
cause there is no Russian official idea to
which II answers But though the Cars
methods are interesting to the student OF
sociology who has his pen ready to set the
date down when II ends in revolution, 1t is
not a thing to be borrowed by any nation
west Of the fortress OF St Peter and St
Paul.
Bismarck. dealing with people midway
in some other respects besides geographic
ally between the Russ and the Englishman,
is trying the plan which gives his new medl-
cine of blood and iron a new flavor. lie
extends social reforms In one hand, but
weds the rod OF despotism In the other.
They may not take liberty except at the
hands Of the government and in the doses
and degree thought proper by the govern
ment
Whether the theories Of Lasalle, Bis.
marck's socialistic friend In youth, is to be
given practical form in grand National
socialism through the grim Chancellor's
engmatlcal methods Is another OF the prob
lens for political students to guess out. AS
to the next move on the board your observ.
ant Americans can surmlse II as well rs we
here, and perhaps can prophesy TO which Of
the rulers Of great countries OF the old
world ''checlSmate" will first be cried.