Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-11-17
ENGLISH po friCS.


ehce OF conservative ASSOCIATION.
LONDON, Nov. 11.-No event in the
recent history of the Conservative party
approaches in Importance the adoption
OF the new programme by the confer
ence of Conservative associations Just
held in Edinburgh. The platform is
frankly democratic. 1t even goes be-
yond the Newcastle programme of the
Liberals in admitting popular control
of party legislation, and further il con-
trasts favorably with the Liberal Fed
erations' policy, as allowing greater in
dependence Of opinion among the ad-
herents of the principles Of Unionism.
The rigidity of old Toryism had abso-
lutely vanished and is replaced by IN
elastic constitutionalism, which Mr.
Balfour and other leaders have ac-
cepted, though certain fossils like the
Duke of RGtland continue to think it
incompatible with genuine Conservatism
and dangerous to the success Of party
government. The programme includes
electoral registration reform with an
| equalization of votes and reduction of
| the period of occupancy required to
| qualify voters. This, in itself, trumps
the Liberal proposals in the same direc-
| ton. :.
Next, the conference approved tho
extension Of the franchise to female
rate payers, the Acknowledgement of
illiterate voters, popular control of the
liquor traffic, state provision for old age,
assistance to working men to enable
them to acquire land for building pur-
| poses, an amendment to the employers
liability laws and factory acts in the
working mems interests. Finally, some
touch of home ruleism was infused in
the programme by the approval of the
transference OF private bill procedure
from the committees of parliament to
local bodies.
The transformed spirit of the party is
| attributed largely to the liberalizing in
| tluencc of their Unionist allies and
| partly to the leaders recognizing the
necessities of the times. 1t is among
the strangcst changes Of life that an
| English Tory like the Duke OF Mont
rose, president of the conference of
associations, should confirm this
peoples platform.
EvIcTED TENANTS COMMISSION.
John Morey's Evicted Tenants Com
mission seems doomed to disastrous fail
ure. Lord Salisbury has characterized
il AS a saturnalia for insolvent debtors
1
its president, will return TO the judicial
bench with his robes soilcd ard moth.
eaten. But neither Lord Salsburys
jibes nor Mr.. Balfours denunciations
are causing the collapse Of the commits
sion. Internal disputes concerning the
sphere and methods of the inquiry, mis-
taken Instructions by Mr.. Morley and
partisan nlismanagemen by Justice
Mathew are the chief factors in the
break-up.
Besides Mr. Murphy who resigned on
account Of Justice Mathews procedure,
Mr.. AIurrough O'Brieu, the ablcst and
practical member, will retire, ostensibly
because he has been appointed land
purchase commissioner, but really
through row with his colleagues. An
other member, Mr.. Roche, Q. o., has in
timatcd his desire to be replaced. The
withdrawal of these three members
leaves only Justice Mathew and Mr..
Redin5ton, who sat to-day for a brief
half hour. Although discredited even
among Liberals, the government will
fill the vacancies with home rule
nominees and continue the commission
The Radicals have abandoned all
hope Of any legislation for the eyicted
tenants during the coming session. 4
plan now discussed by the ministerial
circle is to ask the House of Commons
not to make a grant for their relief, but
to evade decision of the house by
drawing funds enough from the Land
Purchase commission to cOmpulsorily
purchase portions of estatea from OBJ
stnate landlords, with enough to make
loans to tenants to enable them to start
farms anew. There is nothing timid or
squeamish about this proposal, but with
another general election almost within
J sight prudent Liberal members of the
House of Commons hesitate to approve
, course that is certain to arouse a gem
J eral Reproduction. w...