The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-02-26
Tho Progress Of Mr.. G%ladstone's Pro-


RFhInTnc.
Two things seem to be rendered GER
tain through the course pursued by the
GLADSTONE Government since the opening
OF Parliament. First, the new Home Rule
bill will. with possibly some amendments. be
passed by the present House Of Commons.
Secondly. although tho measure will un-
doubtedly be rejected by the Lords. tho
next general election will turn. not solely
upon the Irish question. but upon a many
sided programme, most OF whose features
are calculated to appeal to thu local inter-
ests OF British voters. This. which tho
Unionists had most to fear. is In the way Of
being accomplished.
The debate which preceded the first road
Ing Of the Home Rule bill made it tolerably
clear hat tho attack on the details Of the
measure Is destined to miscarry. Mr.. BAL
FoUR's speech Is acknowledged to have been
surprisingly weak. and Mr.. GoscHEN. who
was counted on to make tvoc OF the financial
proposals. proved unable to subject them to
any trenchant criticism. The truth Is that
the scheme was framed with the purpose OF
forestalling all possible objections on the
part OF the most conservative Gladstonians,
and thus reducing to q minimum the chance
OF any organized secession like that which
wrecked the plans Of Mr.. GLADSTONE in
1856. Such being the case, the more astute
Unlonist leaders, like Lord RANDOLPH
CHURCHILL and NJ. CHAMBERLAIN, aban-
doned the hope OF making inroads into the
Gladstonian ranks, being apparently con-
vlnced that even tho nine Parnellites would
ultimately accept the bill as an earnest Of
better things to como. Both Lord RAN
DoLPH CHURCHILL and Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
confined themselves to denouncinG the
principle OF home rule. as il this had not
been thoroughly discussed before the last
general election. and as IL every member of
the lower House had not proclaimed his
position in regard to It to his constituents.
From this point Of view, Mr.. GLAD
STONES position In the present Parliament
Is entirely different from that which he &C.
cupied in 1886. and it is remarkable that the
difference has not been moro generally
recognized. In the general election Of De-
cember 1885. scarcely a single Liberal had
promised the electors to accept the prin-
ciple OF homo rule. Mr.. GLADSTONE HIM
SELF had not accepted It.. On the other
hand. at the general election OF last year
not a single professed Gladstonian had the
slightest chance Of being returned unless
he pledged himself to adopt at least the
principle OF home rule. to which his leader
had been for six years i~rrevocably COM
mitted. The fact makes a tremendous
change In the situation. But this is by no
means the only advantage possessed by
MT. GLADSTONE at the present juncture.
He was forced In 1886 to appeal to the peo-
ple on the single issue OF home rule. which
was new. startling. and imperfectly under
stood. Now. on the other hand. concur
renty with the Irish project. he is pressing
through the House OF Commons bills which
go directly home to the business and
bosoms OF the natives OF Great Britain.
Such is the registration reform. by which
the required period of residence is re-
duced from a year to three months.
1t Is safe to say that scores of thou
sands OF voters are deeply interested
In this innovation. There again is the
Welsh Suspensory bill. which prohibits tho
requirement OF any new vested interests in
Wesh rectories pending arrangements for
tho disestablishment OF the Anglican
Church In Wales. This measure WAS de-
manded by 81 out Of the "a members for the
principally. and Its intr reduction will bind
the Welshmen to Mr.. GLADSTONE with links
OF steel. So. too. a bill largely increasing
the powers Of the London County Council
n meeting the views Of the Progressives.
who constitute q great majority of the met
ropolitan population. Is on the point of be-
ing submitted to the House Of Commons.
The promise to create elective parish coun-
ellis. which are to control the distribution Of
small sllotments Of land. has already had
such an effect on the agricultural laborers
that they have won back for the Glad
~stonians the seat at Cirencester. which was
lost last October. Lastly. the sole chance
OF defeating the demand for Zone man. ono
vote" by coupling with 1t the equally
plausible demsnd for One vote. one value"
has been frustrated BY cutting down the