The Portland daily press., 1886-06-11
PARTY LINES INENcLANp,

Now that the Queen has consented to an
appeal to the country on the Irish question,
it is very interesting to note the great rup-
lures which must take place in party lines in
the United Kingdom. Broadly speaking,
there have been in the kingdom two great
parties, the Conservative and Liberal. 1t is
only since the last election that the Nation
alists, led by Parnell, have been numerous
enough to be considered as much more than
a faction. Of the two great parties, the Con-
servative is fairly homogeneous. 1t is the old
Tory party, which for two hundred years
has steadily upheld the ancient institutions
and ways with such vigor as to fairly earn
the name Conservative. The Liberal party,
ON the other hand, has not been homogeneous.
1t is the successor of the Wing party, but
has departed far from the traditions Of those
old Wings, who were more progressive, but
hardly less aristocratic than their Tory foes.
The broadening of the franchise has resulted
in the rise Of new class of men of demo-
cratic ideas, almost of revolutionary ideas in
some instances. These new men and the
old Wings have been gathered on the broad
and comprehensive platform Of the Liberal
party. Mr.. Gladstone for many years has
reckoned as his lieutenants all the leaders
of its various factions. They have been
Lord Harrington, the Duke of Argyll and
Mr.. Goschen, representatives of the Wing
element in the party, and so tinctured by
aristocratic prcjudices as to be called Moder
ate Liberals; John Bright, once a Radical
Liberal, but grown more conservative
with years; and last. men like Dixie.
Morley, Chamberlain, and perhaps Brad
laugh, leaders Of the new element
which has come into the party since
the franchise has been extended. All
these have trained with Mr.. Gladstone-been
under Mr.. Gladstone's umbrella, as the To-
ries put it. But the new election promises
to break up all the old order. The Consery-
alive, or Tory party will remain intact under
its accustomed leaders, Salisbury, Churchill
and Hicks-Beach; and will be unit against
home rule and Mr.. Gladstone But it will be
aided by Mr.. Gladstone's old lieutenants,
Harrington, Argyll, Goschen and Bright;
still another lieutenant, Chamberlain, Rad
ical Liberal who has as little sympathy for
Wing as for Tory, will lead movement Of
his own; not because he is opposed to home
king Of home rule proposed by Mr. Glad
stone. Such is the array Of prominent men
who are against Mr.. Gladstone. For him are
the rank and file of the Liberal party, the
men for whom he has secured the franchise,
and to whom royalty and nobility grow more
distasteful every year. He has with him
Parnell, too, and will be aided by whatever
the Irishmen are able to effect in Ireland
and England. With such great changes in
old party lines, the coming campaign will be
the most memorable Mr. Gladstone has seen
during his eventful career. 1t may approach
to direct strife between aristocracy and the
people; no one can deny that there is ground
for the prophesies of changes in England
greater than those asked for by Ireland
The Senate has passed the bill to legalize
the incorporation of any association of work
ing people having two or more branches in
the United States or Territories of the Unit
ed States, and whose objects are the aiding
of its members to become more skillful and
efficient workers, the promotion Of their gen
eral intelligence, elevation of their character,
regulation of their wages and hours and con-
ditions of labor, protection of their individ-
ual rights in prosecution of their trade or
trades, etc. This bill would make the Trades
Unions corporations. with the powers of
other corporations. They might assert their
own rights by process of law, and undoubt-
eddy they might be prosecuted as other cor
porations are prosecuted for infringement of
the rights Of others. This law would make
great change in the standing of the labor
ordnra