New-York tribune., 1891-12-20

the law That was the point on which the de-
bate both in the Senate and Chamber of Deputies
mainly turned, and the resolution carried by this
close vote in the Chamber was almost identical
with that which the Senate adopted by great
majority.
What the Radicals want is complete sep
aration between .AChurch and State, the
abolition of the Conccrdat. which has cx-
listed since Napoleon. NJ. dc Freycinet.
who never quite loses touch with his Radical
tail. declared himself against the abolition ut
present, hut intimated that circumstances might
force him to agree to it later That is not only y
stretching out of the hand to the irreconcila 4
minority but warning which he that runs may
read, though Clerical. 1t was thought early
this week that the Ministry had been shaken.
just as il was thought that NJ. Cemenceau had
shaken it with his minority of 100 in favor of
releasing NJ. I.afargue, then candidate in Lille
A few days elapSe, and, the Ministry going on as
before, most peope-at any rate, most French
men-forget that there has been crisis which
brought the Ministry within twenty votes of its
doom.
Lord Duferin's appointment as Ambassador has
been well received in France in spite of some
sneers from the Red Radical papers, who think
that England ought to send Mr. John Burns or
very Radical, thinks that NJ. Ribot may not like
to discuss Egypt with a man who had such
large share in establishing England on the Nile
Perhaps not. 1t is always inconvenent to a
dlPlomatist that his opponent should know too
much Another, probably for the same reason,
says that Lord Dufferin is not friend to France
and asks plaintivey: But what Englishman is P"
This is ungratcfu to Mr. Gladstone, and indeed
TO many Others for, in spite of the French atti-
tude of sometimes sullen, sometimes vociferous,
hostility to England, there is no general enmity
TO France in this country. There is perfect readi-
ness to be friends, whenever France chooses Lord
Dufferin will know what can bc done to improve
the rather strained relations between the two
countries; but, with Egypt in tie foreground and
Russia in the background, his task will not be
easy. As diploma,ist he is to say the least, the
equal of anybody with whom nc will have TO
deal in Paris
Mr.. Gladstone has gone to Biarrtz for six weeks,
good wishes and civil speeches, even from his op-
ponents, accompanying him. His departure and
the approach of the holidays may, it is hoped, put
q stop to political oratoTy for the present. Yet
he has left behind him numbers Of unsolved prob
lens. Home Rule is of course, He forgot
to say before he left what he meant by it. Mr.
Redmond declared at Waterford this week that
he and his party would accept nothing less than
a complete Home Rule bill giving them control of
the police and power over every Irish matter, and
making them free absolutely from the interference
of England Will Mr.. Gladstone grant that /?
Will he refuse it? If he grants it, he will have
England against him. If he refuses it, he will
have Ireland against him. Mr. Redmond is
Parnellie. But observe that in this matter it
signifies nothing whether he is a Parncllite or an
A,,1s Ill.
ask less than the Pamcllitcs In fact, they are
publicly pledged TO demand Just as much. The
mild Mr.. Mccarthy and the warlke Mr.. IIarring-
ton are agreed on this one point.
Mr.. Gladstone will have plenty of time to
mediate on this dilemma on the beach at
Rarritz. When he has disposed of it, others
await him. The new. policy offers as many as
the old. If he has pledged himself to any one
definite proposition, it is that legislative re-
form for England is possible till Home Rule for
Ireland has been granted. Ireland blocks the
way That has been his cuckoo cry during
the years of his exile from Office, and he and his
friends have done their best to make their words
good. Nothing till Ireland is cleared out of the
way" is the latest formula. Yet Mr.. Gladstone's
last performance before quitting English shores
under the superintendent Of Sir Edward Watkin
was to announce himself to Hodge as his deliverer
to give him Parish Councils, to abolish the
workhouse, to give him control of the schools, of
the roads, and of the rates; TO supply him with
allotments, 10 empower him or his representatives
to buy land with public money for private uses
and many things beside. 1t is large programme.
1t would be large If there were Ireland. 1t
involves legislation with which whole Para-
ment Of years might busy itself all the time.
How is il, any part Of il, TO he carried into
effect while Ireland blocks the way? And who
supposes that if the next general election puts Mr.
Gladstone in Office Ireland can be cleared out of
the way in one or two or three sessions? Nobody
that know of except Sir William IIarcourt.
Mr.. Bright once said that you could not drive six
,mnibuses abreast through Temple Bar. But Sir
William can drive dozen. He pledged himself
to that feat at Derby even with Ireland block
ing the way and filling the whole street. If Mr..
Gladstone had sense of humor, lie would hand
over the reins to Sir William, and let him try
but he has no humor, and is sadly considering by
the sad sea waves, not how he may perform the
feat he knows to be impossible, but how he can
make an attempt or the appearance Of an attempt,
how he can reconcile the irreconcilable. and how
he can win the rural without losing the Irish
vote. 1t is a puzzle, to find the key for whlch
six weeks not too many.
Hodges friend challenged about allot-
ments before he left. The editor of agri-
cultural journal asked 10 be informed how $50 per
acre of substantial profit could he made, as Mr..
Gladstone said, from small holdings by poor ten
ants when large farmers with ample capital could
not realize one tenth of that sum. Mr.. Gladstone
answered: IL gave Gl0 as the opinion OF
some very good judges as to allotment profits when
turned TO the best account You cannot have
reod what said in entirely disclaming authority
Tberupon his Holborn restaurant speech-for 1t
was at the Holborn restaurant breakfast that the
ten-pound statement was made-was looked up and
the massage has been reprinted textually. There is
nohing in it about good judges or about disclaim-
ing authority. MY belief is" said Mr. Gladstone.