The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-02-06
GLADsTONE's MANIFESTO
HeDwells on the Condition Of the Laboring
Classes and Suggests Remedies.

HeDwells on the Condition Of the Laborine
Glasses and Suggests Remedies.
LONDON, Feb. 3-The long expected
manifesto of Ri Hon. William Ewart
Gladstone, BIS leader of the Liberal party
to his adherente on the eve of the open.
ing Of the next series of parliamentary
battles, which, it is expected, will be fol
lowed a few months later by general
election, will appear Friday next. The
document is worded in Mr.. Gladstone'f
usual effective style. Summed up briefly
it may be said to be rehash of parts Of
the distinguished statesman's former
speeches upon various subjects of inter.
est to the voters of Great Britain and
Ireland.
Mr.. Gladstone does not advocate any
particular policy, but simply make some
good points upon which to hand the ele-
mente of the Liberal policy. He deals
particularly with the history and condi.
tions of the rural population from the
time of severe oppression down to the
present time.
MEASURES FOR RURALIsTs
In summing up this review of the con-
dition of the agricultural masses, Mr.
Gladstone says that he considers that
the conditions Of the agricultural classes
have slowly improved; but, he adds, the
improvement made is not yet sufficient,
and additional legislation for the agri-
cultural population, and the passage OF
further measures to enable them to &C.
quire land, are needed. In Oxfordshire,
MIR. Gladstone thinks, some rural labor.
ers may only be earning the 8 shillings
per month. But these are exceptions,
he says, to the general rule.
Referring to the commissary law set
Element, by which pauper is returned
to the parish where he was born. Mr..
Gladstone says that he believes that it
would be better to make them charge
able to the poor house in the district in
which they reside. Mr.. Gladstone also
declares that the present poor laws are
not sufficiently broad to cope with the
amount of pauperis1n existing. The pres
emit land laws, and the large holdings
made possible by them, are, Mr.. Glad
stone says, the cause of much of the
pauperism referred to.
PRAYs FOR DELIvERANCE.
In another portion of his maniefesto
Mr.. Gladstone praye that the rural work
ers may be delivered from the landlord,
the clergyman and the farmer, who, he
says, are holding themselves aloof from
the laborers and setting themselves up
on high plane where they are unknown,
and do not care for the laborers. He also
declares that the Liberals by the CO.
franchise gave the agricultural laborers
the greatest boon possible at the hands
of political party, and, he explains, ex
perience showed that the Liberals were
justified in adopting this course. ..
In conclusion Mr.. Gladstone reviews
the work done, and the resolutions
passed by the recent meeting in London
Of the Liberal delegates from the agri-
cultural districts just previous to his de-
parture for the continent, and he Rgain
advocates thu establishment of parish
councils as being an indispensable COM
plement to local government, and advises
that various economic remedies should
be adopted, which he thinks, would bring
social salvation to the tlllers Of the soil,
The formation of reading clubs for agri-
cultural and other laborers is one of the
suggestions made by Mr.. Gladstone with
the view of improving their social and
moral condition.