The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-20
Mr.. Gladstone Under Fire.

| As the dissolution OF Parliament ap-
proaches, Mr.. GLADSTONE finds himself con-
| strained to make some definite declarations
regarding his attitude toward tho urgent
| questions Of the hour. 1t Is not surprising
that some OF the waverers should be at first
| discouraged by the frank definition of his
position, but sober second thought will
show them that even less is to be looked for
from the Conservative party. That is true.
at all events. Of the statement that he has
made about legal eight-hour day. and it
is no less true OF that which he is expected
to make concerning disestablishment in
Wales and Scotland. 1t Is questionable. on
the other hand. whether a fundamental
change in his home rule project would DO
tolerated at this juncture.
In his speech to the London Progressives
Mr. GLADSTONE defined what in his judg-
ment should be the limit Of interference
with the freedom OF contract between
workmen and their employers. He said
that the London County Council might i'm
pose certain regulations concerning the
rate OF wages and the hours OF labor upon
contractors performing municipal work.
and that similar rules might be made con-
certain corporations allowed to render pub
lie services in tho metropolitan district.
This is a very different thing from estab-
fishing Parliamentary labor day. which
shall be binding on all trades in the United
Kingdom. The expediency Of the last-named
step is by no means clear to Mr.. GLAD
STONE. and he said so unequivocally at his
recent conference with lending promoters
OF the cight-hOur movement. The attain
ment Of home rule for Ireland was. he said.
tho capital purpose for which he remained
in public life. and he could not pledge him
self to advocate a profound economical
revolution Of whose wisdom he was not
convinced. We are told that tho labor
leaders wcre offended by his frankness.
and retired from the conference de-
termined to run candidates Of their own
in a great many constituencies. the effect
Of which tactics would be to split the Lib
eral vote. But where would the labor can
didates obtain the money requisite for the
statutory costs which must be deposited
in advance Of the election? Would they
accept the funds needed for that purpose
from the Tories. who are even more inilex-
ibly opposed to an cight-hour day than Is
Mr.. GLADSTONE. and who. moreover. have
declared themselves against the most vital
of all concessions to labor. namely. the pay
mcnt Of salaries to members of Parliament
1t seems incredible that English working
men. however piqued they may be for tho
moment at failing to obtain all they want,
would allow themselves to be made the
catspaw of their memorable enemies.
Much the same thing may DO said about
the demand OF the English Nonconformists
that Mr.. GLADSTONE shall promise to advo-
cate the immediate disestablishment Of the
Anglican Church in Wales and OF the Pros
bytcrian Church In Scotland. Here again,
Mr.. GLADSTONE replies that the homo rule
question blocks the way OF all British legisla-
ton. and that. while it remains unsettled, he
for his part cannot undertake to press any
other measure. The English Nonconform-
lists will have to content themselves with
his repeated expressions Of opinion that, in
both Wales and Scotland, Observation-Disclosures
is inevitable in the near future To assume
that Mr.. GLADSTONE will lose votes by such
plain speaking is to suppose the Noncon-
formists destitute of common sense. What
could they possibly gain by voting for the
Unionists. whose leaders. with the exceD-
ton OF Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN. are avowedly
opposed to dsestabllshment anywhere and
under any circumstances There Is, on tho
other hand, some pretext for the CONT ina-
ton of almost all tho feminine speakers,
writer's. and electioneerers against Mr.,
GLADSTONE. That he would have the Prim-
rose League against him was, of course.
anticipated. because it was organized by
Unionist ladies. 1t seems. however. that
the Women's Liberal Federation can no
longer be trusted to support tho Liberal
leader since the publication OF his letter
against female suffrage. Mr.. SCHNApHoRsr.
tho Liberal manager. has been Obliged to
notify his agents not to allow members of
tho Federation to speak on Liberal plat
forms. 1t does not demonstrate tho apti-
tudo of women for lawmaking that many
of them should repudate the whole OF Mr..
GLADsToNE's political programme simply
because no declines to acquiesce In their
demand for the franchise. Mr.. BALFouR
made a speech for female suffrage in tho
House OF Commons and that seems a sufil-
Gent reason in the minds OF the dominant
members OF the Women's Liberal Fedora
ton for throwing over home rule.
The announcement made by an English
news agency that Mr.. GLADSTONE had re-
vsed his home rule scheme 30 as to ex-
cludo representatives OF Ireland from West
minister. has been. we arc happy to say,
contradicted. The exclusion of Irish mem
bers from the imperial House OF Commons
would, OF course, relieve the Liberals from
the necessity of reconstructing the British
Constitution upon fedcrative principles.
On the other hand. it would aggravate the
OF those who are inclined to
regard Q Dublin Parliament as an jpDtru-