The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-08
Progress Of the British Elections.

The first four days OF the electoral con-
test now going on in the United Kingdom
are over, and 32I out OF the 673ronstitucncies
have signifiad their will. Nothing that can
henccforward happen can alter the already
demonstrated fact that the optimistic
anticipations 0! the Gladstonians had
no very substantial foundation. ard
that they are engaged in one OF the most
desperate political struggles Of the century.
Wien the last Parliament was dissolved
there was In 1t a Unionist majority OF sixty
eight. II this Is to be overcome at all
through Liberal gains made in English
counties during the next few days. the Glad
stonians and National!sts combined can
hope for only slight preponderance in the
new House OF Commons.
At the end OF Mondays voting Mr.. GLAD
STONES followers could point only to net
gain OF eight, which was merely Increased
by one at the close OF the second day. On
Wednesday there was little improvement
in the situation. and the net gain rose to
fifteen. On Thursday 73 constituencies
voted. and at the hour when We went to
press the returns showed an additional net
gain for Mr.. GLADSTONE OF seven seats.
one OF which Is for the East Division
OF Hull. and another for Monmouth. while
five OF them belong to metropolitan divis-
ions. Up TO the present moment. then.
there Is an aggregate net gain for the
Gladston!aIs Of 90. which. however. must
be raised to 35 IN order TO transform the
Unionisc majority OF IS in the
last Parliament into Gladston!an ma
jority OF two. Vie need not say
that majority OF two would be entirely
useless. considered as q basis on which to
form government. Mr. GLADSTONE would
scarcely wish to take Office unless his aggre-
gate net gain in this election were ut least
50. which would give him majority
OF AZ on division. To obtain even
| this modest degree Of asceGiapry. he
must make hereafter net gain OF
| tlirty-three more seats than he has already
acquired. For these lie must look to the
English counties. for he will be lucky IL he
retains all the Scottish and Irish counties
| which he carried in 1896. The Wclshmcn
are not quite SO ardent In his support as
they were six years ago, and he has lost
many friends In Scotland among the adher-
ents OF the Established Presbyterian Kirk
through his tardy and reluctant but una
| voidable avowal Of a belief that this ecccsi-
astical organization should cease TO occupy
| the position OF a State Church. Il Is Mr.
| GLADsToNE's misfortune that events com
! PEELED him TO take sides on this question,
for whichever way he pronounced, he was
| certain TO ALLEVIATE considerable fraction
OF those who chung TO him in 1886. To his
| declaration in favor Of disestablish-
meut III Scotland Should doubtless
lie attributed the defeat encountered
by the Liberals in Perth and Ed
!nhurgh and the enrichment OF las ow n
majority in Midlothian. which is uow rec
ogpzcd as inevitable. II seems no less url-
u.istakable that To the refusal u Mr.. GLAD
the eight-Eour labor day demanded By the
last Trade Union Congress should 10 as
cribed the loss Of several English seats. i'll
Guiding one at Newcastle.
In Ireland the adhcrents OF Mr.. REDMOND
have carried one seat. and II is expected
that they may manage to keep three or
four more OF the % seats which they occu'
pied in the last Parliament The Cn!onists
have wreeted from Mr. SEXTON the divl'
sion OF Belfast. which he obtained six
years ago by a majority OF about
100. and this portends the loss Of the
seat for Londonderry. which Mr. JUSTIN
MCCARTHY secured by just three votes. Il
Is doubtful. however. whether the Cnionists
are able to add more than these two to thu
Is Irish seats which they held in the Last