The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-23
Second Reading of the Home Rule Hill

float over Hawaii.
Second Reading of the Home Rule Bill.
1t IL usually on tho motion that a bill be
read the second time thnt the most deter
mined effort is made by tho Opposition to
defeat n Government measure. When the
first Homo Rule bill reached this stage. its
proposer. Mr.. GLADSTONE. mot with what
his enemies believed to be an irretrievable
disaster. Now. however. it has proved i'm
possible to shake the fidelity Of any OF his
followers. Every Liberal. including tho
representatives OF labor. and every Nation
| alist, whether McCarthyito or Parnellite,
proved steadfast Mt the critical moment.
| with tho result tim the homo rule project
| obtained q majority Of forty-threc.
AS no came forth triumphant from tho
lobby on Friday evening. Mr.. GLADsToNE's
mind must ave required to the memora
BILE day in June. 1886. the darkest day In his
long public life. when tho desertion OF a
multitude Of his oldest and most trusted
friends left him ut the mercy OF his enc
mics. When the Parliament OF that year
opened he was ostensibly much stronger
than he Is now. for The Liberals greatly
ouIuuulDCICu Viz SOuoCl - hio
avowed resolve to give Ireland self-govern-
ment had assured to him q reinforcement
Of eighty-six Parucllito votes. When he
introduced his Home Rule bill. there were
no grave indications OF disaffection
among his followers. and 1t was only during
the debate on the motion for o second read
ing that the intention to repudiate his au-
thority was disclosed. Then it wal as IL n
vast gulf had opened. There has never
been In this century IN organized secession
from the ranks OF an English political party
SO formidable in respect both OF numbers
and Of influence. AS regards mere num-
bers. indeed. the rebellion against Mr..
GLADSTONE may he compared with the re-
volt OF the Protectionist Tories under Lord
DERBY, Lord GEORGE BENTINcK. and Mr..
DIsRAELI against Sir ROBERT PEEL. and
with the so-called Cave OF the Adullamites
formed by Mr.. ROBERT Lowe against Earl
RUssELL's Government in 1866. But
neither Of those movements was COM
mended to popular approval by such a
roll Of distinguished names rs were arrayed
against Mr.. GLADSTONE in June. 1886. In
the House Of Lords he was deserted by On
overwhelming majority Of the Wing and
pCCA6s AhStoAAh8 uAoAy "AohA IN
had himself created or promoted. In the
House OF Commons he was abandoned by
Lord HARRINGTON. who had been the leader
Of the Liberal party In the B-EAcoNsFIELD
Parliament; by JOHN BRIGHT. who. next
to GLADSTONE, was the greatest English or
ator then living; by WILLIAM E. FORSTER.
one Of the most useful and respected OF
Liberal statesmen; by Mr.. GoscHEN. who,
next to the Liberal Prime Minister himself.
was the most skilful and experienced flnan-
cier In the party: by Sir HENRY JAMES. per-
hnps the ablest lawyerin the Liberal ranks;
by Sir GEORGE TREvELYAN and Mr.. l.. H..
COURTNEY. both expert dsbaters and adopts
in Parliamentary business; and. finally. by
Mr.. JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN, who had posed
as q Radical Of Radicals, and who, in O
former Cabinet. had professed to be an es-
pecial friend Of Ireland. 1t Is not too much
to say that. by the mutiny Of 1886. the Lib
erals were deprived OF three-fourths OF
their debating power. or men of the first
rank. only Sir WILLIAM HARoouRT and Mr..
JOHN MORLEY remained loyal to their vet
eran chief. We may add that. of the many
influential Liberals who forsook Mr.. GLAD
STONE seven years ago. only one. Sir
GEORGE T~REvELYAN. has returned to him.
1t Is tho scope. the weight, and the per-
s~istency Of the %disruptive movement organ
lied in 1886 that render Mr.. GLADsToNE's
present triumph unique In Parliamentary
history. Looking back at the victory won
over tremendous odds In the last general
election. and Mt the flrmness with which the
majority then gained has been held to-
gether. he may well feel a sense of personal
citation: for. comparing the feeble influence
OF his few faithful lieutenants with the great
prestige OF the deserters. he has almost a |
right to say "Alone l did it," No other
English statesman. except WILLIAM PITT, |
has given oven an approximatiye proof |
OF the tremendous part that may be played |
by a personality in politics. Nor does the |
Imagination fall to DO peculiarly impressed |
by the fact that this unparalleled exbibj.
tion OF individual force has boon made bv |
one who has long outlived the nge of three |
score and ten.
There Is no doubt that the details OF the |
new Home Rule bill will undergo much dis |
cussion In the committee stage. upon which |
1t will enter on May 4. 1t Is understood
that the McCarthyites will demand a modi- |
fication Of the financial proposals. and what
they demand will have to be conceded. 1t
Is also possible that the Government will
deem it expedient to render more definite
and emphatic some OF the clauses intended
to guarantee the rights OF the minority.
With these exceptions the measure will
probably emerge from the committee sub
stantially intact. The third reading may
then be expected to be q mere formallty,
and the bill will be sent up to the Lords.
Newspaper Men and M~endicancy.