St. Paul daily globe., 1888-04-29
REFORM IN IRELAND.
If the English Government
Stands Firm in Its Re-
form Policy
It Will Lead to a Restoration
Of the Liberal Party to
Power.
A Three Cornered Struggle
Imminent in French Po-
litical Circles.
Affairs in the Balkan States
Continue to Grow More
Alarming.
Copyright Cable to the Globe.

Copyright Cable to the Globe.
LONDON, April 2S.-The ministers re-
Gently smiled at the request of Sir Ed
ward Watkin that they should propose
their policy of government for Ireland
before the end of this session, but they
are now thoroughly alarmed at the same
demand being made by Lord Randolph
Churchill. Both Sir Edward Watkin
and Lord Churchill undoubtedly ex-
pressed the winning opinion in assert
ing that the government cannot stand
long upon coercion. Mr.. Gladstone re-
CARDS both incidents as very significant,
and feels sure that if the government
do not reform their policy there will be
a larger movement of disSentient Llber-
ais in the direction of home rule. The
Irish members say, with irresistible
logic, that the government have no
right to demand a particular attitude
from them in advance of their measure.
1t is only upon the production of the
governments proposals that they can
be asked to say whether they would be
accepted in a loyal spirit. Lord Ran
dolph Churchill's speech continues to
be very much talked of, and there is ex-
actly that kind and degree of murmur-
ing Liberal dissentients against the
government which Mr.. Gladstone
doubtless calculated Lord Randolph
would raise. The dissentientS say that
unless the government drop coercion
and bring forward an
IRISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT
measure the way will be opened with
some urgency for reunion of the dis
sentients and the Liberals. Concerning
this leading Unionist said to-day: eff
the government stands firm upon its
policy of no reform for Ireland, it must
lead to speedy restoration OF the Liberal
party as whole to power. The Irish
members cannot accept any compromise,
except from Mr.. Gladstone. They owe
him too much to listen to his rivals. No
other man, certainly not even MI. Far
nell. could reduce the Irish terms upon
the home rule question. In fact he is
the only person who could dictate
compromise. The dissentients will not
follow the government in non-possumus,
and there will be-in fact from to-day
there is-a new tendency to recOncilia-
ton, which may be accomplished if the
government persists in carrying out its
present policy. The fear expressed by
many Irish Nationals that Mgr. Per
sicO'S report to Pope Leo XII. regard
ing Ireland has been largely in the
nature of a complaint against the over
jealous and too effuSive ecclesiastics-
curateS particularly-intO whose hands
the management of the National league
has been gradually passing since 1885
is but too. true. When priests were
made by eX-officio members of the con-
ventions called to select parliamentary
candidates, some very prominent men,
like Mr. Davitt and John O'Leary, felt
little confidence in the success of the
experiment. The process rapidly ran
its course, and soon the priests took up
the active direction and control of the
whole movement. This return of the
priests to political activity had
TWO IMMEDIATE EFFECTS.
1t secured Mr.. ParnelPs easy march
through Celtic Ireland in November,
1885, and as natural outcome of that
triumph it further secured the return
without the slightest show OF dissatis-
faction. So far all was we'll. But in
Ulster the effect was decidedly bad.
Distrust and jealousy at once set in and
the Orange faction raised the cry that
home rule meant Rome rule. The fear
was unfounded- though apparently
natural. But another result entirely
unlocked for by the parliamentary man
ayers was soon seen. The intrigueS at
the Roman court, which had been sus-
pended for time, began again. With
the return of the clergy to secular poll
tics came an avalanche of complaints at
the doors of the Vatican and the pope
was compelled to send delegate to Ire
land. When Mgr. Pelsico came to Ire
land the archbishop of Dublin allowed
him to see and hear for himself. But
the Unionist Catholics drew up an ad-
dress to the apostolic delegate in which
they lamented the decay of religion and
appealed through him to the Holy
Father to have check put upon the
more advanced and outspoken church.
men who had thrown their lot with the
league and the plan of campaign. The
Parnellites are in no way depressed
about the outcome of the papal in
uuiries. A restraining admonition can
will likely extend no further than that.
THE FRENCH SITUATION.
France is undoubtedly on the eve of
a fierce struggle between the Liberal
elements of its political life, the friends
of representative government, consti-
tutional or republican, and those who
are attempting to introduce system of
personal government resting Oh an ap-
peal at the same time to the multitude
and to the army. The signs of the last
few days are not favorable to the cause
of National freedom and self-contrOL
Since the recent ministerial crisis the
leading Republican organs have eX-
pressed themselves with remarkable
unanimity. They are agreed in attrib.
uting the success hitherto obtained by
BOulangeriSm to the divisions in their
party and the consequent weakness and
vaccillation of the chamber. Still
number of moderate Republicans who
supported M. Floquet are now dissatiS-
fed with his radicaliSm. Premier
Floquet's programme OF government to
revise the constitution and to separate
church and state is an excellent profess
sion of radical faith. But the question
is, how far is it a possible basis of govern
ment in the existing condition of
France? At the last general election,
held in France in 1885, only eighty-six of
Ullo SUCCESSFUL cduuludtoS udu uocldTeu
in favor of a revision of the constitu-
ton, and not more than 1S4 were favora-
BILE to the separation of church and
state. These figures show conclusively
that French opinion is not ripe for the
legislative formulation of either idea.
In fact,
NJ. FLoQUET MUST FALL
the moment he faces the chamber with
proposal for the one or the other.
Meanwhile he takes no decided stand
on the question of Boulangerism and an
noys the army by retaining M. De Frey.
cinet, Who has the disadvantages of