New-York tribune., 1886-04-04
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Tile CkINIS IN ENGLAND


Mr.. Gladstcne's delay in disclosing his Irish
policy is creating something very like panic
among his followers. Our special cable dis
patches state that even the Scotch Liberals are
waverng in their support and that few we'll
informed observers consider it possible for him
to carry his measures through Parliament.
Throughout England opposition to Home Rule
is growing rapidly and the speedy collapse of
the Government is generally anticipated. Mr..
| Chamberlain is working hard to compass the
downfall of the Ministry important rcsigna-
tons are expected on Friday; and there are no
signs of popular sympathy with Home Rule.
| This revolt against Mr.. Gladstone has spread
rapidly in the absence of definite information
respecting his plans. The delay was probably
| necessary since the Prime Minister had to deal
| first with his Cabinet and talk over" his
weaker and less resOlute colleagues. But as
mere tactical man0uvre it would have been
wiser to introuce the Home Rule act a fortnight
ago. The country has been left completely in
! the dark. Its judgment has been confused by
| contradictory statements of the nature of the
| proposed meas ures. definite announcement
of the Governments policy would have cleared
the air and caused a feeling of positive relief
after the prolonged tension of uncertainty and
! excitement. 1t would have put Mr. Cham Deran
on his defence in the Commons and have
granted him less leisure for influencing and
manipulating the Liberal associations
One of the most formidable dangers with
which the Ministry is now beset is the lack of
popular support for its measures. TO grant
Home Rule for Ireland is a very different thing
from enfranchsing English or Scotch cOnstitu-
encies or combating the pretensiOns of hcredi-
tary legislators. Home Rule involves a surren
der to the Irish of the principle for which they
have been conducting a prOtracted agitation.
Land purchase saddles upon taxpayers the
heavy cost of such surrender Neither
measure is at all likely to excite enthusiasm
either in England or in Scotland. There can be
nothing in Mr.. GladstOnes proposals, whatever
they may be, to appeal to the sympathies of
Liberal Associations and to call forth cOngrat-
ulatory addresses and declarations of conf
dence. Instead of arOusing enthusiasm for his
policy he will have TO combat prejudices and
sordid motives and justify his policy either as
final instalment of justice to Ireland or as the
outcome of the political necessities OF the case.
He will have to make an unpopular appeal to
the English and Scotch constituencies, and can
not hope TO receive adventitious aid from great
public meetings and Liberal assemblies. lie
cannot count upon the support even of the Irish
people, on whose behalf he is fighting the last
battle of his political career.
Professor Huxley, in the racy and character
istic cable letter to The TRIBUNE pub
lished in yesterdays issue, referred in the
highest terms TO Mr. Parnel as n leader
of genuine force, and lamented the decline
of craftsmanship and the reign of politi-
cal incompetence In England. more trench
ant satire on the ignorance and madness OF
government by average opinion was never
written. The great scientist in surveying the
field of British politics can find neither states
manshp, nor leadership, nor intelligence out
side Ireland-only sentimental plague" An
electorate destitute of political convictions and