New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-13
NOTES FROM LONDON.
THE NEW TRADES UNIONISM-MR CHAN.
BERLAIN'S POSTTION-THE EMINENT
EMIGRANT ONCE MORE

New Trades Unionism in the November "Nipc
tenth Century" is, as is usual with him. in too
! high key, but full Of eloquent sympathy with
| the laboring classes. What he says Of the grca,
dock strike is from the strikers point Of view
and he overstatcs their case and the amount Of
| public support given them lie is impressed
| by the success Of strike which had no union
| behind it, and finds the secret OF il In the
| fact that the trades, skilled and unsSled, have
stood by one another as they never did before
| He omts to say that the strike was very de-
liberatcly and carefully prepared long beforehand
lie praises John Burns and Cardinal Manning
Both were concerned in the secret combination
10 which the strike owed its origin and iis
success. Mr.. Harrison, however. is not carried
away by the cry Of confscating Socialism.
lie says: Socialism in any systematic or definite
form, as scheme for superseding the institution
of capital has not in my opinion, made any serious
way 1t is another sort Of Socialism which b.
thinks in the ascendant" Socialism as meanina
the general desire to have all the arrangements
of society, economic. legislative, and moral, ooa-
trolled by social considerations and reformed to
meet paramount social obligations Still more
definitely h, declares that the old Satanic doctrine
of Laisscz faire is dead, and that in place Of
il may be observed vague proclivity' toward
Socialism lie has collected in summary way
some of the freshest facts about labor and unions
and he gives Mr.. John Burns credit for having
raised the rate of wages Of zoo trades within
few months, which seems strong thing 10 say
There has been an epidemic OF strikes it was
going on when Mr. Harrison wrote, and il "a
net yet ended. The Wages Question has be-
come a standing headline in The Tines Public
opinion has moved Socialism, dropping It's
direct attack on capital, points TO a similar end
by insisting on more equal division Of profits
between capitalist and laborer, and uses the
Trades Uuions for that purpose. And so on. Mr.
Harrison is too clever advocate 70 bring out
all that lies deepest in his own mind, but who.
ever reads him will see that all this new fermelt
and new Encouragement of social affairs is to him
but the coming of the gospel OF Comte.
Lord RosebeTy cannot be suspected Of Comtism,
nor is his enthusiasm ungoverned. But he
described the strike as marking epoch not
merely in the history Of labor, but Of England
nay, even of humanity This he said in hR
address TO the tramcar men, and his appearance
as president of their meeting was followed bys
concession to their demands on the part Of the
companies. Yet the note seems little forced;
and England, after all is not the world. The
doctrine and practice Of free trade have brought
England to her present position, and the conflict
a direct result Of the economic theories which
led to the overthrow of protection in this country
the Satanic theories, Mr. Harrison would call
them, or ought to call them. Wages
at starvation point, and free competition
and a free press, and police protection
for organized strikes, and the municipal mead
of the metropolis presiding over strike meetings
at midnig ht-obviously all these conditions cannot
long endure together in small island By
one process or another wages rising, and viii
continue to rise, though nobody that know Of
expects to see them reach the level of wages in
PrOtectionist America.
Mr.. Chamberlain is becoming sensitive. Here
tofore he has been supposed to be rather thick
skinned and to care little for the shower OF
criticism which continually descends upon him.
But he told his Birmingham friends this week
that the abuse heaped upon him had more than
once led him to consider whether the game was
worth the candle, and whether he should not
resign his seat in Parliament. Having con,
sidered it, however, he decides not TO resign, and
his reason is interesting. It is" cries Mr.
Chamberlain in his most pathetic way, merely
love of my country and my constituency that
makes me continue in public life" This ex.
clamatlon ecits from an unfeeling Giadsto7an
critic nothing better than the remark that Mr.
Chamberlain has no sense Of humor.
Mr.. Chamberlans power Of MISLEADING the real
motives of his acts is not perhaps equal 10 his
former leaders, but it seems TO be real power.
What he has in fact been considering is his
position in Birmingham. lie almost admitted as
much, for ne spoke pretty sharply of the action
of the Tories and the canddature Of Lord Ran
dolph Churchill He cannot forget nor forgive.
He cannot tolerate the rivalry of Lord Randolph
lie cannot find philosophy enough in books or in
his own mind to contemplate calmly the prospect
or the possibility [: Lord Randolphs TRIUMPH
over his opposition, and the ultimate election Of
the young Tory chief for the Central Division Of
Birmingham lie has made up his mind what he
would do in the event of such a catastrophe, ana
has announced his resolve to his own Trends
and to the Ministry; not publicly, indeed, but
solemnly. Sooner than give up his ascendsng
in Birmingham he would 80 over to the Glad
stonians.
1t Is startling thing &C. hear. Mr.. Chsnoes
lain left Mr.. Gladstone, il has been undefs'oo'
on public grounds lie regarded and stu rsp'a'
Home Rule as danger to the Empire, and nelv
fore opposed it. Is he then now ready 10 Sc VIZ
Empire endangered rather than his private s@
bition eclipscd? 1t is what his enemies nave long
said Of him. They have not been slow 10 impaN
personal motives TO him. Is he going to lusup
them And if events took such a turi
Birmingham as 10 lead him back 70 the Go
stonians, is il quite sure that the GladstonNn
would take him back? They hate him as fnq
hate no other Unionist; the mention OF bis mans
at a Home Rule meeting is the sure signal %
an outburst of execration. More bitter things ."
said of him in public and private than Of any ons
else Judas" is the name by which one nv
class of Home Rule speakers and writers are WV
TO designate him. lie has lately accused ~
Gladstone Of bribery and certain unnamed
bers of the Gladstonian party OF having
for Home RUE against their conscienees IN H's Va
for reerages and lesser honors. lie has oee1
by Sir William Harcourt that the accusa"o .s.v
"caumnious falsehood' and that ne ,ruI \.
knows il TO be a calumnious fasehooi ~. "A
he more ullnNNHN "