New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-14
MR. GLADSTONES PREMIERSHIP.

There are points of correspondence and con-
trast between Mr. Gladstone's fourth ana hrS'
Premiership The closest parallel lies III 'he
lines of work undertaken. In 1865 he as
sumed direction of the Government in order 10
carry ont the policy favored by Fox toward
the end of the eighteenth centuyy-that OF gov
.r,inc Ireland in accordance with Irish rather
than English ideas Three questions engrosseu
his attention during his long Term VI oin'o'
These were dsestabl>hment OF the ""''c
Church, reform of the system OF lana 'ehoIc
and the Introduction of system OF "hi'ers"!
education The first work was accoHphsho"
successfully. The second was begun p"e was
conducted on such narrow lines that ne was
c,mpeled 20 take 1t mp again, and with a. niue
success. during his second Premiership. inc
tb;rd tas,, university education, ovcrtasked the
resources of his impaired majority anu i'oNo'
Tho ov.rtbroxv Of his Government. Never was
there a period of greater legislative acu,'1
than that covered by his first Premiership pue
tho work accomplished chiefly related 10 Ire
land He was in the prime OF his powers anu
;nAuenoe and he labored increasingly to remove
the causes Of Irish disafectlon and 70 compete
,he reconciliation Of two antagonsto races IN
tho limited Kingdom but his success fell lar
shor, ~ his homes AS his second and third
administrations were mainly occupied with Irish
Questions. so also he re-enters Office IN his ola
aco 70 expend the remnant Of his years in
final effort TO carry out the principies Vi roA
and to establish in the island institutions whicn
will have behind them the moral force OF pun
lie opinion -,
The work of the fourth Premiership ~ iiisn
reform as it was twenty-four years ago D"'
there is radical change in the polltlcai con-
dit;ors The Parliament of 1868 had been
elected by household suffrage in the boroushS
and by reduced franchise i'll the counties
The enfranchised democracy voted, but IL was
not largely represented in the new Parliament.
While the Liberals had q great majority, II was
not recruited from the new elements OF me
electorate. Workingmen's candidates were de-
feated and professional Radicals disappeared
for season from Westminster. The majority
was made up to large degree OF the sons OF
Wing peers and representatives of wealthy
houses OF the old-time middle class. While
advanced Liberalism had carried the ciec'iohs
and committed Parliament TO policy OF po
ltical reform the majority was mainly OF inc
old Whig breed. There was no dliilculty 'heh
IN disposing of the honorary bedchamoer posts
and the appointments for the Queens mousse
hold. The old-lne Wing arstocracy was SUI
in sympathy with Mr.. Gladstone, although al
ready perturbed by the signs OF on approach
inc social revolution How different is the po-
litical environment OF the Liberal Prime MIN
ister now! In the House of Lords he VIII have
only q meagre handful Of supporters. In the
Commons the strain of the Wing blood has
nearly run out, and the Liberal rank ana NE
have the new blood OF the enfranchlsed de-
mocracy. The electors not only vote now out
tney are personally represented by men OF Their
own GLASS. Radicalism has become dominant
political force.
the points of correspondence and contrast
which we have mentioned indicate the general
trend of political tendencies in England. Gov
crnment is becoming less OF junction OF PRIV
LEGGED classes, and the masses have larger
share of it's responsibilities. In 1868 MI Glad-
stone had his Irish policy and his domestic re-
forms. but before his term closed his wing
supporters had grown lukewarm and irresolute'
since their hearts were not in the work. Now
he has majority of 40 in place OF 12O, but 1t
is O. following bent upon securing legislation
against tho privileged orders OF society. III he
set too fast pace for the Liberals then he
will have the greatest difficulty in keeping up
with them now. At the start he will be greatly
embarrassed by the appointments for the
Queens household for which he can have few
candidates of the conventional sort. That is a
petty matter but in the Cabinet appointments
the increasing power of Radcalism will have to
be recognized. and that will be serious source
of embarrassment. When the Government Is
organized the harassng work of satisfying the
demands of all sections OF the composite but
not homogeneous majority will begin IN earnest
1t is an undertaking which less courageous
Prime Minister than Mr.. Gladstone would aban-
don almost at the outset In sheer despair. The
democracy is in the saddle with its long spurs
sharpened for hard and reckless going Mr.
| Gladstone will be forced to ride as one who
hourly breads fall