Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-09
ADRAWN BATTLE.

Without undertaking to exactly foretell
the result of the English elections in the
counties-which present an element of un-
certainty in the pending issue like the pro-
verbal back counties in our own elections
1t begins to be clear that the Liberal ex-
pectations of sweeping victory are de-
stined to disappointment Prior to the
elections it was declared by the Liberal
authorities that the only question was
whether their majority in the House OF
Commons would be fifty or hundred
At this stage of the elections the question
is whether the Liberal or Conservative
Government will gain a precarious control
of the House by majority in either case
that can be counted ON the fingers.
The first reflection that strikes the Am
erican mind in this connection is that the
proneness of our own politicians to claim
much more than they have good reason to
expect finds parallel on the other side.
The idea that sanguine estimates are Of
value to a party's cause had been sup
posed to be indigenous to the somewhat
mercurial politics of the United States.
1t was expected that when the solid and
immovable Briton asserted that he would
carry the country for Gladstone, he knew
whereof he affirmed; and Americans,
though conscious that their own politi-
clans ante-election estimates are to be
taken with numerous grains of allowance,
took their British Cousins claim as an
evidence of what was coming. With this
demonstration that the English politician
is man of like politics to our own, we
will learn to accept future predictions
with much more conservatism.
Whether the tactical triumph of slight
majority will be gained by the Liberals or
Conservatives is still a matter of doubt.
But one thing seems to be well settled,
and that is that neither party will have
ma jority enough to maintain its policy for
any extended duration. If the Liberals
have not gained the triumph they looked
for, the Conservative majority has been
whitfield down nearly to the point Of dis
appearance. The hold of either party on
power, from present returns, will be so
slight that the result must be either short
lived cabinets or compromise policy. But
the lines have been too bitterly drawn to
permit of compromises. 1t is to be expect
ed therefore, that after few attempts to
form ministries that can hold a majori ty,
another general election will shortly fol-
low.
The result of such state of affairs,
while disappointing the hope of immediate
home rule, is sure to increase the politic-
al weight of independent elements like
the Home Rulers or the labor element
The Tories have already gone further to
catch the labor vote than the Liberals
would do; while the latter have cultivated
the Irish vote more freely. With mar
row margin in the House of Commons for
either side, the importance of these ele
ments will be much enhanced.
On the other hand, the Irish members
should not lose sight of the fact that if
home rule fails by narrow margin their
own factional disputes must be charged
with losing the victory. That lesson
should teach them that personal feelings
and self-interest must be sunk in all fut-
ure efforts for advancing the Irish cause.