New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-16
NTNISTERI4L GYMNASTICS.

The Salisbury Government, after singular
" quiet and uneventful session Of Parliament,
has been Unexpectedly shorn of It's prestige. No
legislation of marked importance has been
undertaken this year. but it was not necessary
for the Ministry /. make record for industry
since the previous session had been busy
and successful one, the refunding Of the Ma
tional debt and the passage Of the Local GOV
eminent bill having been remarkable achieve
ments. With its reputation as working Gov
eminent firmly established, the Ministry were
justified in presenting Il modest programme
al the opening Of the present session, and a
few weeks ago they were contemplating with
equanimity the prospect of an early adjourn
ment after u barren and Improbable half
years work. The Decentralization caused in
the ranks Of the Opposition by discussions over
the ROYAL Grants embodened the Ministers to
take up the Tithes bill with reSolute deter
mination, and to defer the adjournment until
it could be enacted. This course was impru-
dent from political point Of view. since it
needlessly exposed them to the risks Of defeat
and unpopulaIity, the measure being marked
~ in the interest Of landholdeIS, and opening
prematureIy very dangerous field for agita-
ton. They have escaped defeat by the mar
roWest possible margin, and have undermined
their authority in Parliament by reversing
their policy with precipitate haste and com
pletely transforming the Tithes bill so as to
adjust it to the extreme views Of the Opposi
ton.
The question at issue in the division which
nearly proved disastrous to the Government
was liability for the payment Of tithes. The
proposed bill held tenants or occupiers Iespon-
sble for the recovery Of the 1.-THE rent charge.
The Opposition, reinforced by considerable
number Of Liberal UnionistS, supported an
amendment offered by Conservative making
the landlord instead Of the tenant liable for
the payment Of tthe,. Alarmed by their mar
row escape, their usual majority Of eighty
Icing cut down TO four votes. the panic
stricken Ministry turned one of those sudden
somelsaults that invariably excite ndicule and
tend to diScfedit the party in power. The
amendment, which had been nearly carried,
was accepted, and the measure revised to meet
the requirements Of 50 radical Il change in lis
scope Sir William Vernon HarOurt when the
Ministerial about face was announced prOiited
by the occasion with his usual f-possession
and discenment. While congratuating
the Government upon making 50 complete
surrender to the Opposition, he insisted upon
deierIing the discussion until the text Of what
he described with acrid cvility as a new bill
Should be placed in every members hands.
This was equivalent to a formal notice that the
Opposition. while accepting a radical conceS-
sion OF principle, would reopen the discussion
on the whole question of titbeS and strive 10
stir up as much strife "a possible in the Con-
sentative ranks.
If this were not the fag end Of the session,
important results would inevitably follow the
extraordinary exhibition of Ministerial gym
nastics with which Parliament has been IA
vored. The Conservative party represents the
largest landhOding interests in England. and
the conversion Of the Tithes bill into a tenants
measure naturally eXcite> much resentment in
the least progressive section Of the Govern
ments supporters. Ii is however. So mop
perfume time for political reprisals and fac
ton feuds that the Ministers will probably
carry their remodeled bill without serious op-
position from the landowning Tories. They
are making, however, poor ending Of what
might otherwise have been a Sngulaliy sue
cessful session for the Unionist cause. They