National Republican., 1888-05-03

MAN1 people have no doubt read with
amaatmcnt the report that Mr.. Gladstone
and Mr. Parncl met in private for the first
time at dinner given by gentleman in Lon.
don Monday evening The only other gentle.
men present were the host. u MIR. Armitstcad'
Herbert Gladstone, and John Morley. The
special object OF the dinner was the bringing
together of the two distinguished leaders-unc
Of the English liberals, the other of the Irish
natlonalists But what the average American
will wonder at is how II Is these gentlemen
who have been 50 closely allied In politics
should not have met socially long ago In
fact. one with American ideas Of politics can
not understand how taey could have
been working together 50 long without
finding II absolutely necessary 10
have many personal conferences. But
there arc great differences between
English and American politics and political
methods, There Is undcninblya II dignity nul
reserve about English politics that we know
but little about In this country II IS, for IN
stance, the rule IN England tO treat the public
uttcrances Of leading politician like Mr.. clad.
stone. Mr.. Purnell, Mr.. Morley, the Marquis Of
Harrington, Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, or Lord
Randolph Churchill us If they were made
In oandur and with some degree of honesty,
u
land seem to find nomorc entertaining feature
Of their newspapers than the verbatim re.
port, Of speeches made by these gentlemen
and others of like standing, II is the rdrcst
occurrence that the papers of the American
metropolis or any other Of our principal cities
publish In full speech of one Of our poll.
ticiuus. however distinguished. And 1t Is
seldom leading Journal In this country takes
| up and discusses earnestly any of the speeches
| made in the Senate or House Of Representa-.
| tvcs. Hut when John Morley, for instance
| makes speech on home rule In England the
| PRINCIPAL journals throughout the kingdom
| will not only publish II in full, but they will
review II at length as one would review q
| book lie is accepted as meaning what lie
says,and Us being an honest man In search of the
| truth. lie Is sorogardcl by opponents as well
a. friends The mere partisan quality of poll
| ties counts for much less in England than i
| does IN America, and, therefore, the leaders
| of English politics are as rule, far more
| free from the light weight, bandylng, half
| riliculing and altogether irrcvercnt treat
mcnt received by the leaders of American
| politics. The evident insincerity of a large
| number of our eminent politicians
| is largely responsible for this. The truth Is
we are a fippant, jokeloylng people. VT
! never grow serious until somebody dies, th2l
we mourn with good deal of demonstrativc
| ness, But as to Mr., Gladstone and Mr.. Par
| nell 1t may be said that they were once very
far apart-at the time, for instance, when Mr.
| Gladstone had Mr.. Parnell put In liilmainhaiu
jail, and there has iicyer been much love be
tween the two. Mr. Parncll has allowed Mr.
Gladstone TO 20 his own way, There hav,
| been no plottings between the two. Mr.
| Gladstone has always been free It
| act as he saw ft since he cSpouscJ
the cause Of the home rulers There have beer
no compacts no formal alliances, but freedom
Of opinion, freedom of speech, and freedom o.
action all around. Nothing could more aptly
| Illustrate the great dignity with which Mr.
Gladstone has surrounded himself lie ha'
not been sccretivc with Mr., Pancll or any
body else, but he has been openly, honestly
and faithfully laboring for what he believed I,
be Just and right.