The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-01-23

political equality, once known, enters the heart of man . welcome guest. Follow ing us again, as we have seen, the Elec- toral Act is great step toward our plan of equal districts and universal suffrage. Legislation upon law, a department in which Britain has long been consideEd supreme, has recently been in the direc- ton of combining law and equity, after our practice. The patent laws of Eng. land have just been modelled after our own, although there is yet much to be done to bring them to our standard. In regard to married women's property, the year before last witnessed the discarding of feudal ideas and the adoption of our American law upon the subject. In a short time we are to see marriage with deceased wife's sister allowed in Eng. land, as 1t is in other English speaking lands. If we except legislation upon Irish land, which Mir. Gladstone and every member of the government pro. nounced exceptional and only just6able upon the plea of necessity, 1t would be difficult to point out any change made in the laws of Britain during the past twenty years which is not in the direc- ton of the colonial and republican prac- tice. live regard prospective legislation, we find the same suggestive fact the parent land is politically under the infiu- ence of her children, and her part for some years is to follew them.
 England's positisn is indeed unique among nations. Time was when not only all English speaking communities, but the thinkers of all nations, locked to her for lessons in political development
 The Mother of Nations was the Mother of Parliaments. Trial by jury, habeas corpus, freedom of the press, constitu- tional government itself-all these are her work, but they are of the past, and are accepted as the law of gravitation is, there being no further dispute about them. The world requires the solution of new problems, fitting more advanced condition and toward this the fondest admirers of the dear old land must blush to own her contribution has been but scanty. A new English speaking com munity, about to found state, might in- deed still leok to England, but it would be to learn net what to adopt, but what to avoid. Instead of standing forth a model, she has become a warning. No state would think of adopting throne, here ditary chamber, primogeniture and entail, church and state, or any other of the remains offeudal institutions with which England is afflicted. Her enterprising children seem to stand reminding her that
 ITO have done, is nothing
 But to stand like rusty mail,
 In monumental mockery."
 It is not to be supposed, unless Brita in s star has set, and Britons are Bntons no more, that the people-now educated, and becoming more and more apprised of the truth that they have been indulg- ing in Rip Van Wrinkle sleep-will rest content, deprived of the position they once held as the foremost nation of the world, the pioneer in political progress. 1 am quite sure that Britons are still Britons, a mighty race, whose part in the world great as it has been, is not ye, played to finish. England has risen from her slumber.
 The appeal to the people, which has just taken place, has unfortunately re- suited in an eeuivocal response. For several reasons the towns which voted first have deserted the Liberals for the Tories. First, the Irish vote, from dic- tates of policy, was thrown against their natural allies, the Liberals. Second, the premature explosion of the issue of church on the eve of election frightened many Liberal churchmen into opposition. The Eagiishman regards every new question as bogey," and has to be led up quietly to the object, and to it before he can be driven on. A third reason, no doubt more po- tent than a surface view would indicate, was deep aversion to the Liberal policy in Egypt and in the Soudan, which re. suited in loss of thous ands of lives, and added twenty millions sterling to the budget. A fourth cause is found in the theory of flair trade" as opposed to free trade" Great distress prevails in the manufacturing districts, and many operatives were carried away in the hope that there might be some virtue in the fair trade idea. Thus the Liberals fought at enormous disadv antage in the towns, and lost a great many seats which are safe for them under normal conditions.
 Turning to the country districts the reverse is found. All that the most ad- vanced Radical hoped for has been ac- and more. The eufranchised voters have turned upon their former op- pressors, the parson and the squire, and their class, and have driven them from the field. The new parliament will diff Rev from other parliaments in nothing so much as this that the members from the country are Radical instead of being Tory magnates as hitherto. The gains n the counties have equalized the losses in the towns, and all to the advantage of the Radical wing of the Liberal party. Left to struggle with the Tories alone, Mir. Gladstone and his followers would have had triumphant majority, and be able to carry the Liberal programme complete. But here comes in the most important factor of all. As kicheiieu says to the king, of Cromwell: "A great man has arisen in England "-Par- At Hsn sr IL