The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-24

er's proposals for Irish homo rule they
saw such distinct and imminent danger
to the unity OF the empire that they
were forced to desert their chief and
side with the conservative party, IN
opposition to whose general policy they
had spent their political lives. Rather
than c~ountenance the grand old mans
return to power with the consequences
which he never has attempted to con-
ceal, they have forced themselves to
play the part of a tolerant watch dog on
much that must have seemed to them
prominently suspicious legislation.
With this bearing on the part OF the
liberal unionists, it is little Wonder that
the conservatives have never felt very
certain of the thread that tied their
destinies together. Goschen's accept
ance of tho chancellorship OF h ex-
chequer under the premiership of Sails
bury was welcomed with a burst of
satisfaction by the conservatives. For
the first time, they felt that there was
an official bond between tho two parties,
and that the success of the one vas the
hope Of the other. 1t was not only
Goschen's LIBERAL unionist acceptance
Of office that evoked delight but his
undoubted standing as a tinancier. The
tories had no one within their own
ranks who could for a moment be placed
on a level with Mr.. Gladstone in dealing
with matters OF national finance. Cos
chen. they felt, was the only man who
could hope to approach him in ability,
and to Goschen they pinned their tinan-
cial faith.
In spite of the high hopes entertained
Of him. the present chancellor of the
exchequer has on more than n trying
occasion failed. in sporting parlance. to
come off. Last season, his budget con-
tanned an inexcusable blunder. He
attempted 10 consider the saloon keep
er's license a vested" interest. In cass
Of its revocation, except for misconduct.
he proposed to pay the loser compensa-
ton. 1t was his idea that for the crea-
ton of the necessary funds an additional
tax should be imposed on beer and
spirits. This bare faced attempt to
corner the saloon vote in view OF a pos
sible general election met with
widespread opposition. The liber-
ais, under the leadership OF
Mr.. Gladstone, fought it, tooth
and nail, and the tories were in the
depths of despair, when a shrewd par
.liamentary objection enabled them to
quietly shelve the whole business.
When things seemed at their worst
Parnell's fiasco came to the torres like a
godsend. Home rule, at last, was
doomed, and Gladstone discredited for
the rest of his life. They took Sails
advice, PUT all their money on
Parnell," and lost again. The Irish con-
stituencies did not cling to Parnell, as
the tories had hoped, and the Hartle-
pool liberal victory proved that the Irish
dissension had had no practical effect in
splitting up the opposition vote.
Then came this years budget. 1t
was keenly looked forward to. There
was general expectation that the tory
party would do as it has often done in
the past, boldly adopt some dis
tlnctively liberal measure, and take to
themselves all the credit of its origin
and its passage. But the most cynical
of politicians opened their eyes to the
utmost extent on the Odd of April, when
Goschen intimated a surplus for the
coming year, and a proposal to put it to
use by granting absolutely free educa-
ton. If there was one article in the
radical programme to which the con-
servatives, as a party, had manifested
bitter and untiring hostility, it was free
education. They had stumped the
country with TRADES against it. Cos
chen himself had led the van. How
ever, there was the bid, and free educa-
ton was a grand cry to 90 to the oun
try with, in the event of a defeat in the
house. But the blunderlng country
seems to have seen through the trans
parent little game. Otherwise, it IS
scarcely possible for an American to
follow the course of events, for we can
not believe that the British nation is
opposed to a free school system. Mr..
Goschen's answer has already come in
the shape of three keenly fought "bye-
elections" On May 6 the liberals won
the seat OF Slowmarket, in Suffolk. On
the StE they cut down the conservative
majority of 99l at the last election in
South Dorset to a bare forty, and that on
a much larger poll. On the 9th they
won a seat in South Leicester, and
South Leicester was a tory stronghold,
where the liberal candidate in 1886 was
defeated by no less than LBS votes.
Mr.. Goschen, as a tory mascot, is far
from a success.
WE are surprised that our esteemed