New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-20

invented the fence as good thing to sit on is
nowhere in these days. He is said TO have been
an American. 1t is now the Englishman who
practises politics with most ingenuity, and among
all living English practitioners Mr. Gladstone is
easily first The older the Old Parliamentary
Hand gets, the more remarkable becomes his pro-
iciency in political gymnastics. Anybody can
st on a fence. Nobody but Mr.. Gladstone can
get down on both sides of it at the same time.
lie did it on the East African debate, when he
spoke against measure for suppressing the slave
trade but walked out If the House without vot-
ing. He has done it with even more ingenuity
this week on Mr.. Ells's land tenure bill in
Wales. lie spoke against that bill, and voted
against it, but declared that he might at come
future time vote for it. Thus was everybody
satisfied.
The bill which Mr. Gladstone thinks he may
support in the dim hereafter is bill to transfer
property in Welsh land from landlords TO tenants.
Mr. Gladstone himself described it as a bill which
would fundamentally alter all land contracts III
Wales In it's main features it is modelled on
his Irish Land Act of 1881. 1t is a modest
attempt to put Welsh Home Rule, so far as 1T is
agrarian, the same basis as Irish Home Rule
Mr. Gladstone. however. who complained that
with respect TO Ireland there was too much evil
dence complains with respect TO Wales that there
is too little. The case is not made out This
bill has been brought in four or five times before
There has been time enough TO collect evidence II
there were any to collect: but there is none.
Mr.. Gladstone therefore suggested that the Gov
eminent should appoint commission 10 go in
search of some. Should it be found, then would
be the time to redeem his conditional promise to
support future bill. Welsh tenants have votes.
and Welsh Members are important section of
Mr.. Gladstone's following in the House of Com
hact q paAia nd
radicalism is of that kind which looks to attacks
On property means of future vote-power; IL
ether words, it is socialstic.
Mr.. Gladstone is very far from being Socialist.
He will not, outside of Ireland, commit himself
to doctrines which go to the root Of property in
land and of all other property. lie never &C
cepted Mr. Chamberlain doctrine Of ransom, which
Mr.. Chamberlain has halt dozen times half
disavowed. He probably regrets the necessity
which compes him. as he thinks 10 coquet with
a Socialism which he abhCrs. But Newcastle and
the Holborn Restaurant showed how far he
then ready to go in that direction. and his speech
Of Wednesday in the House OF Commons is but
One more step on the down grade.
That particular form of Socialism called Com
bination is more dear TO Mr.. Gladstone than other
attacks on property, but, before, only
dition that it occurs in Ireland or only on con-
dition that the combiners, if English, prove them
selves capable Of using their power for political
purposes. He has not been called upon to "
press an opinion the crisis in Goals. l wish
he had for nothing is more exciting than TO
watch Mr.. Gladstone's manner OF approaching a
subject which for any reason he thinks delicate.
He may on this occasion escape the necessity Of
saying anything, for the crisis IN Goals exists
no longer; or no longer exists in the menacing
g.
play and what other people call farce comes
10 an end this week. The conference Of delegates
OF the Miners Federation, held in London on We'd
nesday and Thursday, voted that seeing that the
object for which the pits were stopped has been
achieved, this confereice advises all the miners
connected with the Federation to resume work on
Monday next" That may serve to cover their
retreat and to hide the truth from themselves
as well any other pretext, tiansparently fcti-
tious though 1t be.
The object which the miners proposed to them
selves was to limit the output Of coal to such
an extent as TO prevent reduction of wages; not
now, for no reduction proposed, but in the
rear future. They did succeed in creating
panic by which the price of coal was forced
up to point whence it has already begun to fall.
1t was the coal ring which chiefly profted by this
artificial increase, due not TO an artificial scarcity
but TO the apprehension Of artificial scarcity.
The rise could do no good for the miners, unless
1t were permanent. The price of coal in London
fell yesterday dollar and half per ton. There
is a glut Of coal in the market, no business Is
doing further fall is certain, and the large and
entirely dishonest profits of the coal ring have
come to an end. Another effort is to be made
by the blind leaders of these blind coiliers. They
have voted to work only five days week, adding.
~ tka oh how haD
discuss vast concerns, that the general playday
each week be Monday As many Of them have
usually worked not more than four days week.
the reduction is less important than il seems.
The Federation has had powerful ally in the
Durham strike, which was independent Of the
Yorkshire movement and proceeded on different
grounds. Were it not for Durham 1T Is DOUBT
full whether the colliery owners would on MONDAY
take back their playful miners at the same wages
as before 1t is even now doubtful IL Is sun
more doubtful whether, if they do, they Will long
continue paving present rates With the drop In
the demand for coal and the drop in price, wages
must in the long run go down
Meantime vast mischief has been DONE The
miners themselves poorer by the loss OF
weeks wages, amounting TO At least S2,"'o,oo"'
Scores Of thousands Of other workmen have beeh
thrown out Of employment. Railway franc 'a>
ieen Interrupted. On one Ioau diohe, o'e 'o "
Eastern, 200 trains were taken on. The iron IN
dustres have suffered, and iron workmen' OF
course. suffer with them The miners themselves
have heen innred by water, the strike leaders re
fusne to allow men to work the engines ny
which alone the mines are kept clear OF wafer
That is a good example OF the stubborn folly
which aiYlicts these gentlemen They are incrci-
IDLY ignorant both Of facts and of laws, and per-
fectly ready TO destroy industries on which their
own clients depend. Messrs Iickard, Woods ana
Others have expressed their views in print. Not
one Of them talks like rational human being
Their policy is a policy Of to-day. The morrow
may take care Of itself In that respect the com
muntty who have not the advantage OF beng