The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-02-04
Legislation Should Be Directed to the Relief
of the Agricultural Glasses and to Rem
edying the Land and Poor laws.
All the Specie and Mail-Bags Saved
from the Stranded Steamer Elder.
Unusual Precautions Taken BY the Government
to Guard the Treasure-Horrible Atroci-
ties Of China's Rebellious Manchurians
GLADSTONE TO LIBERALS.
Parliamentary Policy Of the Party Laid Dow
in a Manifesto by the Leader.

u
in a Manifesto by the Leader.
SPECIAL to the Indianapolis Journal
LONDON. Feb. S.-The lonR-expected man.
Ifesto of the Right Hon. William Ewart
Gladstone, as leader of the Liberal party,
to his adherents on the eve of the opening
of the next series of parliamentary battles.
which. it is expected, will be followed q
few months later by general election.
Will appear on Friday next in the columns
of the Weekly Star. The document re-
ferred to makes o loaded column of the
Star. and is worded in Mr. Gladstone's
usually effective style.
Summed mp briefly. the manifesto may
be said to be rehash Of parts of the dis.
tinguished statesmans former speeches
upon various subjects of interest to the
voters of Great Britain and Ireland. Mr..
Gladstone doos not advocate any particu-
lar policy, but simply makes some good
points upon which to hang the elements OF
the Liberal policy. He deals particularly
with the history and conditions of the
rural population from the time Of severe
oppression down to the present time. In
summing up this review of the condition OF
the agricultural masses Mr.. Gladstone says
that he considers that the conditions of the
agricultural classes have slowly improved;
but. he adds. the Improvement made is not
yet sufficient, and additional legislation
for the agricultural population and the
passage of further measures to enable them
to acquire land are needed.
During the course of his remarks Mr.
Gladstone refers to the distressing incl
dents which happened at Manchester, in
1919, when 100000 workmen held q reform
meeting and while so doing were charged
upon by cavalry. who rode the defenseless
- L. 1T H.
killing eleven of them and wounding six
hundred. The veteran statesman contrasts
that event with the present right of the
people to hold public meetings. which
right. he insists. ought not to be hampered
in the slightest by unnecessary local regu-
lations or other legislative restrictions.
Continuing, Mr.. Gladstone then deals
with the question of the repeal of the COM
bination laws and the effects they have had
upon the immense growth OF trade-union-
ism which, he explains, has been q great
benefit to laborers of all kinds and condl-
tions.
The liberation of the press. according to
Mr. Gladstone, is one of the greatest liberal
measures of the century, and has. in his
opinion, been productive of an immense
amount of good.
In former times, within the recollection
of many. Mr. Gladstone also says the high
est wages an agrlculturist received in Eng
land was 9shillings, lS2.25) per week. while
now, the Liberal leader says. the same class
of workmen average 10 shillings tS37 75) Der
week and. he adds, there are but few cases
where agricultural laborers are only able
to earn shillings per week. In Oxford
shire, Mr.. Gladstone thinks, some rural
laborers may only be able to earn the lat
ter amount; but these are. he says, exoep-
tlons to the general rule.
Referring to the commlssary- law settle
ment, by which pauper Is returned to the
parish where he was born, Mr.. Gladstone
says that he believes that 1t would be bet
49, =. Ia %AAvx ot, aoh Ia fr h.
house In the district in which they reside.
Mr. Gladstone also declares that the pres
ent poor laws are not sufficiently broad TO
cope with the amount of pauperism exist
ing. The present land laws, and the largo
holdings made possible by them. are. Mr..
Gladstone says, the cause of much Of the
pauperism referred tn.
In another portion Of his manifesto Mr..
Gladstone prays that the rural workers
may be delivered from the landlord. the
clergyman and the farmer, who. he says,
are holding themselves aloof from the Ia
borers ana setting themselves up on high
plane. where they are unknown and do not
care for the laborers. Mr.. Gladstone also
declares that the Liberals. by the county
franchise, gave the agricultural laborers
the greatest boom possible at the hands of
political party, and, he explains. expert
ence showed that the Liberals were justi-
fed in adopting this course.
In conclusion Mr.. Gladstone reviews the
work done and the resolutions passed by
the recent meeting in London of the Lib
eral delegates from the agricultural dis
trIcts. just previous to his departure for the
continent. and he again advocates the es-
tablishment OF parish councils rs being an
indispensable complement to local govern
ment. and advises, vaguely. that various
economic remedies should be adopted,
which. he thinks would bring social saliva
tion to the tillers of the soil. The forma-
ton of reading clubs for agricultural and
other laborers is one of the suggestions
made by Mr.. Gladstone, with the view of
improving their social and moral condition.