New-York tribune., 1891-09-25
THE GENERAL ELECTION.
LIBERAL LEADERS-MR. GLADSTONE-MR.
JOHN MoRI.EY--SIR WILLIAM HAIR
CoURT-LORD KIMBERLY
EARL SPENCER.
Westminster. September ]

Westminster, September 10.
Assuming, as is now done with consent oil MIN
sterial authorities that the General Election VIII
result in the establishment of Liberal MAJORITY
there is no question as to who shall be leader III
the House Of Commons. In 1880 when the popu-
lar voice irresistibly clamored at the polls Tor
Mr. Gladstone efforts were made in the highest
quarters 30 ward off blow all the heavier because
prior 10 the opening Of the Midlothian campaigns
il was unexpected, First Lord Granville was
sent for and asked 20 form Ministry Ihen
appeal Yves made TO Lord Harrington h'se
statesmen, not hampered by personal prejudice
gauged the situation more accurately ana ue
clined to be parties to an impracticable arrange
men. Things will be different after the pend
ing General Election. On the morrow ai'oI
battle that has been fought in his name ana rouhu
his banner Mr. Gladstone will be inevitable, ana
win be accepted as such. He will naturally re-
vert TO his old position Of Prime Minister ana
leader of the House of Commons, ana .no"s"
Mr. John Morley, as successor TO MI Dai'ui'
will have in charge the measure deslgneu "
complete the Conservative Home Rule scheme VI
next. session. Mr.. Gladstone will personally "a'c"
over it's progress. He will not however oe
leader of the House I'm the full measure achieN'u
by him 10 the early session OF the fariau'en0 VI
1880 Then he was in his place early and late'
sence of from thirty to forty minutes lhaV
WAS the epoch Of al-night slttlngs'.
the most disorderly time known to the present
generation OF Parliament men, AS in those days
Nr. Gladstone sat on the Treasury Bench with
haauard face and bowed head, it used TO be salu
that the only way Of saving his life was one aoop
tion OF scheme whereby on the stroke OF hliohisnU
he should be carried of by his colleagues Vi et
.rmis and put to bed This was not done ana
more than once Mr. Gladstone broke down. Al'er
n second failure he was prevailed upon 70 leAVc
matters after midnight in the hands OF Sir Wlin'ii
Harcourt and Mr. John Morley and under thao
arrangement matters worked on through tne IT.
rnainder OF the life Of the Parliament. In opPo-
sition he has vastly improved upon this lie mas
been accustomed to he in his place at the be-
ginning of public business, has reinaineu up
70 balf-psss seven. with attention engrossed upon
whatever business was going forward "neVnei VI
local or Imperial interest. Then he has dis
snnea rod and been seen no more except on rare
occasions when q critical division has been eN-
pected OF AIS divisions which took place last
Sessions he voted in only forty. That Is recoro
misleading, inasmuch as 1T lndlcaes oeclinins
interest in Parliamentary affairs. Now that the
House of Commons begins its work at half pas' o, III
stead of half past 4, as was the rule IN former "i
1;ou.nts the whole scheme of Parliamentary debate
has undergone a radical change Onder the oio
system the climax Of debate was reached apou'
IL o'clock, when the giants stepped into the arena
and the battle waged hoty till O'CLOCK or
even 3 in the morning. Now, when uhuer
the standing orders debate must necessarily Close
AT midnight and division, if one depending must
no taken before that hour the flower of debate
blooms in the early part of the stuns' anu -
nlucked before the dinner hour Last
nv four sneeches which might stand com
rar;son with the most brilliant efforts OF
his prime But they were all delivered before
,he dinner hour leaving him free for those social
measures for which, past his eightieth year ana
still mining for something TO do, he has OF Iate
wears developed q surprising devotion. 1hanks
fo the reforming zeal of Conservative Govern
ment the task Of Leader If the House OF Commons
l1s enormously lghtened since Mr.. GLADSTONE EaSt
filled the place In succession TO Slr DIsrael' but
he is not likely, in the new Parliament, 10 suher
the full strain even of happily modified crcum-
stances. In increasingly marked degree through
recent Sessions the Leadership of the Liberal
Party has been in commission. Mr.. Gladstone
has ken his turn up 10 the dinner hour. There
after il an Irish question has been under discus
sion. Mr.. John Morley has looked after it, whilst
on miscellaneous topics Sir William Ilarcourt
has stepped into the breach-a happy arrangement
which will doubtless be renewed when the Liberal
marty cross over 10 the right hand OF the Speaker
Mr.. Morley naturally will return to the Irish
Office in the new Government, and Sir Wllham
Harcourt, with almost equal certainty, Will again
he Home Secretary. But whatever Ministerial
Office he holds, he will be understudy to MI
Gladstone in the position of Leader OF the Hluse.
There has been some talk in the outer ring OF
Ministerial circles of strained relations existing DC
tween Sir William and Mr.. Morley, arising out Of
supposed rivalry in the fight for the mantle OF
Leader of the Liberal party in the House of Com
mons. Toward the close Of last Session Mr..
Morley. suffering from the after effects of III
fuenza, withdrew from the House. and the story
was industriously circulated to the effect that he
had retired in dudgeon before the aggressive
strides of his co-commisSioner, and even cOntem.
plated refinement from political life. There is not
the slightest shallow of fact on which
to build this superstructure of fancy. The
personal relations of Sir William Hsrcourt
and Mr. Morley are of the friendliest char
acter unimpaired by any undercurrent of
rivalry. Their courses in connection with the
Liberal party are clearly defined and run on
lines that cannot clash When the time comes
10 find successor 10 Mr.. Gladstone in the Leader
ship of the Commons, Sir. William Harcourt
will be accepted, both in the JIouse and in the
country, anu WlA hliu III MI hoi0S loS"i 'oi-
league.
Like Mr. Goschen, Sir William Harcourt has
found in the occasiona absence of his leader op-
pcrtuniues of showing what he can do when his
turn comes Unlike Mr.. Goschen, he has shown
that he possesses the peculiar and rare quaihca
tions for the post. To tell the truth, there Il
an important and growing section of the party who
prefer his tactics TO those bf Mr.. Gladstone il Is
a familiar paradox. truer than most, that Mr.
Gladstone is the most powerful and efectivt
friend Conservatism has in English political life
The strain of Conservatism which underes his
character is shown nowhere more strongly thar
in his Parliamentary conduct. There is no suci
sticker as he for the preservation and observance
of old Parliamentary orders and usages. 1t wa'
only under the pressure Of EXTREMIST circumstance