St. Paul daily globe., 1891-07-05
GLADsTONE's INFLUENCE.
The Powers That Be Are Relieved
by His Action.

The Powers That Be Are Relieved
by His Action.
LONDON, July 4.-The Prince of
Wales and the government feel really
relieved at the action which Mr.. Glad
stone has taken during the past few
days. Although lie himself has been at
Lowestofte. his influence in London
has been greatly felt. The Liberal
leader has been very active in per-
Suading his colleagues to give their
virtual support to the compromise on
free education which Sir William
Hardt Dyke recently propounded. He
has been almost comically energetic in
defense, for the present, of the VOlun-
tary schools and Of voluntary action
generally; though he has said nothing
as to the policy which he himself would
adopt if he had to deal with the
question. Especially he wished
the bill carried at once in
order TO avoid the raising of
embarrassing controversies. On the
baccarat case he has been less emphatic
but qnite as powerful. He has prob
ably succeeded in preventing the more
violent members of his party from in
siSting upon the criminal prosecution of
Sir William Gordon Cumming and those
who undoubtedly compounded a crime.
If Mr.. GladstOne's mOderating influence
had not been felt there would have been
trouble in the house of commons. for it
would have been impossible to discuss
the criminal side of the case and the
Prince of Wales action in the matter
without raising passions which are bet
ter allOYed to sleep.
The Weakness of the church party in
the house of commons is causing seri-
Gus appTehensiOns in high social circles.
and it is openly admitted that the tact
les of the OppOrentS of the deceased
wives sisters marriage bill have given
d moral victory to the promoters OF the
measure. The truth Is, that now the
church, in the sense Of the old-fashiOned
church and state party, has lost
the, support of Mr.. Gladstone, it
has no man of the first rank in
the house of commons 10 lead it.; and
although the majority of the COnserva-
tives are nominally Churchmen, they
are politicians first and churchmen af-
terWards. This has been clearly proved
by the attitude of the party over the
education question. and the general
feeling of the more aStute eccleSiaStlcS
is thatit will be wiser for some time to
come to keep church questions as far as
possible out of the parliamentary arena.
Even on the episcopal bench itself
there is a growing tendency to consider
eXpediency rather than principle in
dealing with these church matters, and
the Archbishop Of Canterbury will as
rule be found on what IS politically the
winning side.
The approaching international cOun-
ell Of Congregationalists is likely to wit
ness pleasant Interchange of Christian
courtesies. the synod OF the Presby-
terian Church Of England and the as
sembly of the Baptist union having ap-
pointed deputations to attend the coun-
Gil with fraternal messages. The invi-
tatiOn of the English committee of ar
rangementS to the other free churches.
including the various Methodist bodies.
the Presbyterian churches free and
uuited of Scotland, and the Calyinistic
Methodists of Wales to appoint each
two visiting members, has been cordial
" accepted.