The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-14
CHIEF PLANK IS IRELAND.
Outline Of Platform to Be Pre-
sented to the Conservative
Convention.
Suffrage Is Advocated for Women
Who Own Property or Rent
Houses.
Big Guns Cause the Admiralty Trouble y
Tho Irish Party Spllt-Other News
From Abroad.

[Copyright, 1891 New York Associated Press
LONDON, Nov. 13.-Ihe executive com
mittee Of the conservative associations hal
drafted a platform to be adopted at the
great party caucus at birmingham, Nov. 23
The leading proposal concerns Ireland
The conference will be asked to endorse thu
intention Of the ministers to extend loca
governments and promote technical educa.
tion in Ireland. At the same time it is de-
clared that inequalities arising from ac-
cording Ireland disprorortionate reprcsen.
tntion in parliament ought to be redressed.
Other important planks provide for the
extension of the franchise to women who
are landowners, or house occupants. The
creation Of labor department under a
member Of the cabinet, and legislative
enactment to enable local authorities to
acquire land to facilitate the creation Of all
rural holdings is a further con-
cession to labor representation, and
to urge conservatives to support
labor candidates everywhere who
appear to enter public life upon no party
lines. This plank, contrasting with the
liberal pronouncement against labor candi-
dates in purely labor interests. is deftly
contrived to encourage asplit in the radical
workmen vote. A resolution proposed by
Howard Vincent, eager advocate Of impe-
rial federation, who has just returned from
America full of wrath against Mckinley,
favors preferential tariff throughout the
British empire.
Startling evidence has been laid before
the labor commission in regard to tho con-
dition Of operatives In textile trades in
Lancashire and Yorkshire. OF workers
scant wages, ranging from sixteen
shillings weekly upward, a system of relent-
less fines for spoiled material and petty
causes, absorbs large percentage. A sin
gle tine sometimes absorbs a whole weeks 8
Npay. Many workmen live in state OF
semi starvation. 'Truck' abuses, sup
posed to have been suppressed, are still in
active existence and factory acts are openly
defied.
The. British admiralty are much excited
over the growing record of defects in great
guns on English war ships. Five vessels
recently have officially been declared to be
carrying unreliable guns. In the 110-ton
gun of an ironclad, which has been in com.
mission onlya few weeks, a crack de yeloped
in the inner tubes after firing few rounds,
$50 pounds each, service full charge. Sim
liar accidents happened guns on the Victoria
and Sanpareil. Generally, these heavy
weapons are becoming distrusted and the
admiralty has ordered number Of them
taken to the ordnance works to be strength
enod. Meanwhile the seventy .fve-ton guns
of the French feet are acting perfectly.
Political clubs are interested in the con-
troyersy raised by p. L. O'Connor, in ao-
cusing Stuart, M. r, of originating the
split in the Parnellite party by injudicious
haste in publishing Gadstone's November
letter to Parnell. O'Connor's abuse of
Stuart, who succeeded him as manager of
the London Star, has led to the disclosure
that Arnold Morley, liberal whip, gave to
the press the letter referred to, under the
authority Of Gladstone. O'Connor is
therefore left in the position of charging
Gladstone with the initiative of the rupture
in the Irish party.