The Portland daily press., 1888-05-10
IS GLADSTONE LOSING HEART P
Review OF the C ondition of the Home
Rule Movement.
The Grand Old Mans Grand Effort
In the Irish Cause.
Joseph ChamberIaln's Position In
Relation to the Struggle.

NEW YORK, May "a member Of Parlia-
ment, in writing to the New York Herald
upon the condition Of the Home Rule move
ment, says: 'Mr. Gladstone has just adj
mitted that his home rule scheme proved
more disastrous to the Liberal party than he
could have imagined. This is a great change
from the position he asserted after the last
general election, when he maintained that
his defeat was slight temporary matter.
He now takes respondent view Of the fu-
ture. All the more wonderful is 1t to see the
renewed vigor and energy he has suddenly
impaired to the contest. Opinions differ
widely upon his policy, but for the man him
self it is impossible not TO feel admiration.
Night after night he is necessarily brought
into comparison with the tory leader, Smith,
and we who look on feel 1t to be the most
unequal contest seen in Parliament. NOT
elOquence but numbers decide at last ana tne
veteran leader sees that Gladstone's strength
cannot prevail against the Ministerial host,
nor can he, with all his genius, lure back the
seceders.
''The true condition of the struggle in
which he embarked with light heart only
two years ago are now fast becomi ing
visible to him. A certain section OF Glad
stonians are still confident OF recovering the
allegiance of the liberal uni0nlsts, hence the
project Of sending Chamberlain 70 wander In
sweet simplicity through the New. Forest
with Harcourt and Morley. The millennium
is to take place in Arcadia. The lion and
the lamb are to lie down together, and lit
tie child named John Morley Is to lead them.
The mere rumor of another attempt TO cap
ture Chamberlain has sent thrill of disgust
through the genuine radicals. have talked
with many of them and there are not two
out of the whole number who do not feel the
profoundest distrust Of Chamberlain and the
Of fhn mar of
acting under him.
There is apparently no place for him in
the old home. If Harc0urt insists upon md
ing him one he will have to face formidable
opposition among the family at present as
sembled there. His authority is not so abso-
lutte as that. He can afford to take many
liberties. As "swashbuckler" he is not
without his value, but nobody respects him.
As for the nationalists, they naturally and
properly are true to Gladstone. Irishmen
are seldom ungenerous, and they feel that
the great leader has made enormous sacri-
ficas for them. For their cause he has staked
everything and up till now he has lost. They
will not desert him for the sake OF making
peace with Chamberlain. Their position
was never more difficult than at this mo-
ment. The Pope and Tories form a menac-
ing combination.
''How far the Pope's decree has been in
fqenced by desire to establish diplomatic
relations with England we do not know.
But few believe that the Duke of Norfolk's
recent mission to Rome, following upon
Mgr. Persico's visit TO Ireland. was purely
incidental. Lord Salisbury is no mean di-
plomatist. The Irish clergy cannot in a body
revolt against the Holy Father. Nor, again,
will it be possible for the whole body Of a
congregation to rise and leave mass when a
boycotted person makes his appearance in
chapel No arch bishop will dare recon-
it there will be few Father McGlynn's found
in Ireland At the most critical period IN
their history the nationalists have to fight
the Vatican as well as the powerful tory
government. They never before had to en-
counter such fearful Odds and Parnell, in
failing health and spirits. sees his life's work
in imminent peril of being totally undone.
Perhaps compromise may still bepossible."