New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-11-26


PARISH COUNCILS BlLL-woMAN SUFFRAGE
EMPLOYERS s'dIAPILITY-NAvALIN INCREASE
FINANCIAL Observation-Disclosures
OF THE LONDON HOUSEHOLDER
FRENCH POLITICS-IMPERIAL
FEDERATION LEAGUE.
.sY CABLE TO rHR TRIBUNE,
copvrtoht; 1898: Bs The Tribune Assoe'at'on
London. Nov 25-At the present moment Mr.
r,odstones Government Is in more serious peril
at the hands of its supporters than from 'he
work of it's avowed enemies. The 2SO Members
ybo last week bearded the Lord Chancellor, anu
we're severely rebuked for their pains, nave now
q grievance against Mr.. Gladstone. The solt
answer which the Prime Minister gave them uo
not turn away their wrath. and they nave ho"
launched a sort Of manifesto. because ne de
clines to hurry up the Lord Chanceiior III ii""e
the magistracy with Liberal wire-puIers' mere
nominees of Members whose best quaiiica'oh 10
that they are tradesmen, dissenters' OF oi 'he
right party color
It is also largely owing to supporters OF the
Government that the Parish Councils Dill pro-
ceeded no further than to the secohu vi o'o'
seventy clauses, and that its character was so
altered that it now embraces principles eh'ieiy
outside original intentions. The supporters Vi
woman suffrage succeeded in beating 'he "oV-
ernment upon one important point last Week.
and owing to that disaster Mr. Gladstone VINO
was until lately a decided opponent VI
woman suffrage is now compeheu u ih"ouuoo
a measure giving married women vote III al
run,c;nal elections for school boards. parish
councils. boards of guardians. district counciiS'
and the entire machinery Of local government
Of another
form bill In the near future giving to married
n,ore, and spnsters the right Of voting in par
,,amentary elections. providing they are rate
navers with the same qualifications as the
.terner sex. The Conservatives during recent
.aars except in isolated cases. have become
converted to woman suffrage. They have learnt
<o realize that with the extension OF education
Tho tendencies of women are TO be Conservative,
and to act like a brake on the Radical coach.
Their vote will doubtless be cast against the pub
ucans interests and so offend one section OF
Conservative supporters. But womens votes VIII
mainly benefit the Church party, and Will not
support those schemes Of the trades unionists
which tend to increase the prices OF domestic
supplies.
So great have been the changes erected py
the introduction of this suffrage question that
many Members, including Mr. Chamberlain IN
tend TO oppose these extensions at later stages.
The Poor Law clauses were enough OF deao
weight to kill the bill without being further
hampered by the great question OF woman sur
frage. Supporters Of the Government may well
be anxious Public opinion would condemn the
introduction Of the gag, lest 1t might become an
ordinary instrument of parliamentary machin-
ery and at this stage 1t would discredit the GoV-
enment TO set aside either the poor law or the
O.. ,araf
cumstances will compel the new session to begin
in February. and 1t is not easy to see how this
great measure can be disposed Of before that
date. II Members are to have any vacation.
Mr. Chamberlain soon made his influence felt
upon returning to Westminster. His criticism
on Thursday night of the Employers Liability
bill provokes the belief that if that powerful
speech had been delivered on the second read
ing. Mr.. McLaren's contracting out clause would
have been carried. The case in favor Of this
amendment has been rendered strong by
reason Of agitation among insurance assoca-
tons connected with railways and other works
that the House of Lords will most certainly i'm
pose Mr. McLaren's proposals when the measure
reaches It, Lord Salsbury's assurances to the
deputation which waited on him yesterday i'm
MY this in no yelled terms The feeling is so
strong throughout the country in favor OF con-
tracing out where better conditions are ar
ranged than those possible under the bill, that
the Government will find it difficult to make a
grievance against the Lords for their more accu-
rate Interpretation of the views Of the country
in this particular 1t will be the Home Rule bill
again.
The chief opponents of contracting out are the
leaders of trade unions. who realize the loss OF
strength their organizations will suffer where
large bodies Of workmen are associated with
their EMPLOYERS under provident and insurance
arrangements Where they exist these arrange
ments give assistance to workmen in fve-fold
more cases than the provisions Of this BILL
The movement to which referred last Satur-
day. In favor of a large addition to the fleet.
grows apace This week the demand has been
backed up by two definite schemes, very similar
In detail, by Lord Charles Beresford and Ad-
miral Lord Alcester. Both involve an eXpendl-
ture of nearly twenty millions sterling. Lord
Roberts, Admiral Hoskins. and in fact every
body who has discussed the subject. favor the
demand for an expenditure, roughly speaking,
approaching 100000 per annum. The only
opponent has been Mr.. Labouchere. and adverse
criticism from such a quarter may safely be
taken as an argument In favor of the agitation
The Government has so far recognized the
tendency OF the popular demand that there ~
good reason for saying they mean to yield, and
already plans are being discussed with the OBJ
ject of Strengthening the navy TO the extent 1t
Is believed. of nearly four millions per annum
1t is understood that several recent Cabinet
meetings have brought TO light diversities OF
opinion this subject. AS controller Of the
National purse strings, Sir William Harcourt
has been unwilling convert. In fact, accord
Ing to stories. it was only the threat of
Lord Spencers resignation that carried the
point Contrary to expectation. Mr.. John Morley
advocated the construction Of an all-powerful
navy; but this should not be so very surprising
for did not the most peaceful Of all statesmen,
Richard Cobden,. declare he did not object to
expend a hundred millions sterling. If it were