The Labor enquirer., 1886-08-07
THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS.
Gladstone's Defeat-The Social Demo
Gratis In London-Industrial
Situation.
For The Enquirer.


LONDON, July 12.-By the time this
letter reaches you the result of the elec-
toral contest in this country will be
known to you. That the conservatives
and liberal unionlsts will gain the dav
over the Gladstonians and Parnellites is
certain. Mr.. Gladstone, in appealing to
the masses" against the "classes," ap-
pealed to democracy without votes;
hence the result. However, there Is
one good point about the matter: ere
long we shall see the complete break k.up
of the party system ofgovernment which
curses England as it doess the states.
The coalition of conservatives and un-
ionist liberals will last 80 long as they
are opposers to the Gladstonians. But
when once the former are in off 9 it is
scarcely probable that They will be for
long without some disagreement be-
tween them arising. We fully expect
that another election will take place in
about six months. Home rule for Ire
land is pretty sure to come sooner or
later.
There is every likelihood of another
tussel taking place between the Social
Democrats and the police. At Bell
street, Edgware road, at Cambridge road,
Kilburn, and at Pearson street, West
minister, the usual open-air meetings
held by the local branches of the Social
Democratic Federation, have been pro-
hibited. The Social Democratic Feder-
alton has, for the present, decided to
concentrate its efforts on Bell street, as
| for eighteen months meetings have been
held there without interference. More
over, besides two in Bell street itself,
religious and temperance meetings are
held in nearly thirty other streets in
the neighborhood without .molestation
by the police. Bateman, Champion,
CuIwlck, Mann and Williams, (who last
year suffered months Imprisonment
for like ofense at bod street. Lime
house,, of the Social Democratic Fedora
ton, and Arnold of the Socialist League
have been brought before the magistrate
and have had nominal fines imposed
upon them, with the threat of the full
penalty if,brought up again. The charge
upon which they were arrested was OBJ
struction. Legally the magistrate has
no choice but to convict any person
proved to have addressed any crowd in
any road. no matter how little used.
But what the Social Democrats protest
against is that it is left in the hands Of
the police to decide v hat meetings they
shall stop and which they leave alone.
This is what the Social Democr ITS pro-
test against. Williams again spoke at
Bell street last night Sunday to more
than 1000 people. The street certainly
was blocked this time, but that was due
to the advertisement given to the meet.
ing by the police, who, however, made
no attempt to interfere. Williams
will probably be summoned, and
if 80, he will have the full penalty I'M
posed upon him: $40 fine or q month 8
imprisonment.
In the Hamilton district the Scottish
coal miners have successfully lnaugu-
rated the restriction of the hours ot
labor, which they have bten agitatine
for the past two years. Several miners
are, however, out of work, and in some
of the adjacent districts the men have
been asked to accept reductions of from
10 to Is per cent. The districts which
depend upon the manufactured iron
are endeavoring to bring about further
organization and federation. A large
meeting has been held at Oldham, when
over 5000 people were present, and
pledged themselves to support the new
organization. II. W. LEE.