St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-06
HENRY VA~D BnE..HER.
he Chats Regarding the impress
Sions Obtained by His Recent Visit
TO England

sions Obtained by His Recent Visit
to England
New YORK, Nov. 5.-Rev. Henry Ward
Baecher yesterday submitted himself to be
interviewed for the first time since his re-
turn from Europe Referring 10 his last
visit TO England, twenty-three years ago.
lac said:
The contrast between the attitude of Eng
gland then ami now toward America was
striking Then English public opinion was
against the EHited States. 7 &c large factorF
population of Lancashire, although suffering
from famine for want of our cotton, synpa-
thized with US in our strug sle, but the intiu-
entail people of Great Britain not only were
opposed to the sentiment of the North, but
to q very great extent supported the South.
That has now been so changed that it may
be SAID that there has been a complete
revolution in the thought of the people in
that respect. | think it has been large.
brought aoout by the increase of travel
between the two countries, enabling US t.
get better acquainted with each other. Then.
also, the immense the OF imnigr ton to the
United States has bound the populations of
the TWO countries together by the tenderGst
tic Any illusion i'll my public addresses 10
the Ii IS Of kindred between the two nat. ons.
to the bond OF respect and affection that
bound US together as one peopi', never
siastic applause
''As to the political and social condition of
the English people, Mr.. Beecner!"
The answer 10 that is found in what is at
the touuuatiOn of all material pros perity,
namely. the land. In the relation of the peo-
pie to the lInd, great and Fundamental
changes are going on that are affecting their
social condition from tle top 10 the bottom,
and which will al o affect their political con-
ditien. For example. land owners who
formerly would OBTAIN from 81 to rs per acre
for the rent of their land, are glad 10 let it
go for 80 shilliDgs, and sometimes cannot
get that. The consequence is that the
owners OF land, iEs cad OF renting it to farm
ers, to middiemen, or to their stewards, are
farming the lands under their own direction,
and are selling the produce direct TO the re-
tail dealer or 10 the con Sumer Facts of this
character have forced upon the public mind
questions in relation 10 land tenure. to the
law of entail and primoreniture, that hitherto
have aided in the intrenchmeut of a lanGed
and privileged Class, accustOm I'd to separate
itself, to very great degree, socially from
the bulk of the people. Then l notice that
there is a growing discomfort in regard to tue
public schools. or board schools as they are
called in England IL is true that these schools
give free education. but it is doied out more
or less As charity. TdIs Is partly owing to
the pos ton OF the established church, which
has Interfered considerable with the develop
ment OF public school system like at we
are familiar with here. There Is dspos ton
on the part OF the English people to put tue
education of their chIl iren on the same loot
ing as we have it--t3at is, that it shall be a
right and not charity"
"A few words as to Ireland. Mr.. Beecher?''
My convictions as to what Ireland ought
to have are not changed in any essential re-
spect by my visit Wnen was there l heard
a great deal about Ireland and | visited some
of Ireland
home rule, and she ought to have il. | meal
b that d government that shall res mble our
own state government. | do not think that
she ought to be separate from the mother
country. Any disnemUe; mert of Ireland
from her relations 10 the imperial govern
ment would resist with as IN Icl fervor and
determination rs / resisted the secession of
South Carolina. l think, however, that this
principle OF local government will lie just as
eagerly sought by the E iElSh, the Scotch
and lie WEIGH people as it mas been by the
Irish. and while the Irishmen ma get il first,
the other portions of the "a nil, of Great
Britain VIII not lie without TIE same privil-
ereS very long. The British people expect to
b ain very soon manhood suffrage, and this,
VITA the d establishment of the Church of
En- land, Will bring about great social and
political changes. l think the disestabliSh-
ment of the church is in the near future;
and while l regard the Church of England
as the most aggressive and jealous Of all the
denomimatC rs OF the religious sects in Ireland.
| think that she wolld be greatly sire lgtn-
ened for good by the separation. Ever
agency that can possibly e.erate the people
in their moral and religious relations Ou-ht to
nave free course. When l looked at the pop
uiaton of London and caugat GLIMPSE now
and then Of its lower strata. / was lost in
such amaZement that l was almost dazed.
There is a large population there Of h'ch we
nave no pc nere-men whose fathers and
mothers were evidently starved, and whose
caildren have grown up starved, whose lives
are of the most tentative kind. whose exist
ence is not only struggle but perpetual
Il INT with famine. l was, therefore, not sur
pr sad to hear LADY say, who sat next 10 me
when | breakias ed vita the Dean OF Wes.
minister and his wife: Mr.. Beecher, we don't
pretend to teach in some of our mission
churches and schools an ythin = like the higher
principles OF religion. All We can do with 4
great number of those who attend is to teach
them cleanliness and honesty Now we
have no such population dis that here. The
Salvation Army i doing great good believe,
among that lower strata OF the population in
England