The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-16
What VIII Mr.. Gladstone Do9


confront Lord SALISBURY on the opening OF
the new Parliament. we must already
reckon eight Parnellites and five Laborists.
Should they vote against Mr.. GLADSTONE.
they will count &c on q division. So for as
the returns yet forthcoming are concerned.
their united detection would leave him In
minority. and in the best event would make
his majority small and untrustworthy.
Under such circumstances what will no
do? No doubt all the elements Of the OPP
position will combine to GUST the Con-
servative Government by passing a vote
OF want Of confidence; but after Mr..
GLADSTONE has resumed office, what course
will he take? The five Laborists have an
nounced that they shall sit on the Conserv-
alive benches. which seems to mean that
they will not postpone the claims OF
labor to any legislation for Ireland. and I'M
less very strong pressure Is brought to
bear from this side Of the Atlantic. 1t Is to
be feared that the eight Parnellites will
deem it their cue to reject any Home Rule
bill put forward by Mr.. GLADSTONE. on the
pretext that 1t Is Inadequate. On the other
hand. there may be some protested Glad
stonians who can only be withheld from
mutiny by minimizing tho powers intrust-
ed to Dublin legislature. How is Mr..
GLADSTONE to escape from the predicament
in which he finds HIMSELF
There Ia ono measure which tho Labor
lists would unquestionably vote for. and
which the Parnellites could not with any
show OF decency oppose. That Is q COM
prehensive measure OF electoral reform.
| which besides removing the existing OBJ
structions to registration. should establish
| the "one man. one vote" principle. and
should provide that all parliamentary
elections should take place on one and the
Same day. That day might be made pub
lie holiday. or. If such a step were
deemed inexpedient. precautions might be
taken against the repetition Of the outrage
perpetrated in the present contest. where
by all urban workmen were prevented from
going to the ballot box on Saturday. which,
OF all working days In the week. affords the
most leisure for voting. A measure Of this
kind would be sure to command the unani-
nous support OF tho Opposition. and the
House of Lords would scarcely daro to re-
ject it. because since the passage Of the
first Reform act 1t has been tacitly recog-
nized that the House Of Commons Is
the exclusive arbiter Of tho conditions
under which Its members shall be
elected. Should the Peers be rash enough
to throw out such bill. Mr.. GLADSTONE
would go to the country on an issue most
advantageous to himself and probably fatal
| to the hereditary legislators. In the more
probable contingency that the Lords will
permit the proposed electoral reform to be-
come law. Mr.. GLADSTONE can then intro
duco his Home Rule bill. and when this Is
rejected by the Peers. as 1t individually will
be, he can appeal. not to the present cleo
torate, but to one organized on princi pies
| incomparably more favorable to the masses
of the people.
1t has already been suggested In London
that this scheme has been considered by tho
statesman whom his worst enemies admit
to DO ian old parliamentary hand" and 1t
Is acknowledged that by means OF 1t
no might outgenoral his opponents. The
objection to this plan is the advanced age
| Of AIr. GLADSTONE and the doubtful expedl-
ency OF his adopting programme which.
however sagacious. would involve the ex-
penditure OF considerable time. He has
made up his mind TO associate his name with
the bestowal Of tho boon OF self-govern-
ment upon the Irish people. and 1t may be
that he will insist upon forthwith introduce
ing Q bill to that effect. regardless OF the
impossibility of passing 1t through the new
Parliament. Wesay impossbility because.
owing TO the small GlGdstonian majority In
the lower chamber. the HOUSE OF Lords will
undoubtedly reject 1t on tho plausible
ground that there has been no peremptory
aud unmistakable popular mandate In favor
OF the measure.