The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-03
Tho Opening OF Parliament.

ment which began yesterday is likely to
determine the fate OF the Gladstonian party
at the next general election. The Prime
Minister can no longer count on the active
support OF the Parnellite members. and he
will encounter some obstruction from
section Of the Radicals who are dissatisfied
with the Indifferent attitude Of the Govern
ment toward the great coal strike. and with
its Willingness to give Mr.. CECIL RHODES
and the South Africa Company free hand
in the Matabele affair. But. for reasons to
be mentioned presently. these proofs Of
characterization. although unwelcome. are
not expected to give serious trouble. The
main business Of the Government at this
time Is to pass the Employers Liability bill
and the Parish Councils bill; and when this
is accomplished. the Liberals will have
greatly strengthened their hold upon the
trades unions on the one hand and the
agricultural laborers on the other. Then
they can face. at any moment. an appeal to
the English constituencies. where. although
they made great gains in 1892. they still
represent only a minority.
We have already pointed out that Mr..
JOHN E. REDMOND. speaking at the con-
vention OF his party in Dublin, carefully re-
Trained from threatening to vote against
the Government. He complained OF Mr..
AsQUITH's refusal to pardon the Irishmen
imprisoned for political offences. and OF the
Ministry's unwillingness to introduce at
once bill for the relief OF the evicted ten
ants. Under the circumstances. he thought
that he and his eight colleagues would be
better employed in strengthening their
party organization In Ireland than in swell
ing the ranks OF the Ministerial majority at
Westminster. But all that he proposed to
do was to abstain altogether from voting,
and it was only such abstention which was
sanctioned by the resolution passed at the
convention. The result Of the position
taken by the Parnelltes will be that Mr..
GLADsToNE's majority in the House of
Commons during the present session will
be cut down to about thirty.
That the dissatisfaction Of certain Radi-
calls with the course Of the Ministry will
have any serious consequences seems i'm
possible. because the Unionists cannot, with
any show Of consistency. combine with
them. Indeed. II the Unionists should offer
cooperation the Radicals would no doubt
reject it. because their purpose is not to
turn out Mr. GLADSTONE. but to induce him
to adopt their views. A certain number of
the English Radicals hold that the owners
OF coal mines should have been induced to
come to terms with the men now on STRIKE
through official pressure exerted either by
the Board of Trade or by the Local Govern
ment Board. When informed that neither
of those Boards has. at present. any power
Of exerting pressure. they reply that Min
listers should have threatened to bring in a
bill providing for compulsory arbitration.
They may offer q motion to that effect, but
this Is even more certain to be opposed by
the Conservatives than by the bulk Of the
Liberal party. AS to the attack on Mr..
CECIL RHODES and the South Africa Com
pany. this has been organized and will be
directed by Mr.. HENRY LABoUCHERE.
He alleges that the pretended settle
ment of Mashonaland by the company
In question has been a colossal stock-job
bling operation. OF which British investors
have been the victims. and that the So
called war with the Matabees has been
wantonly provoked for the purpose of secur-
Ing a more fertile tract of country. The
Conservatives. however. are certain to sus-
tain the Government. SO far as it has acted
In the interest Of the incrminated company.
and now that the Matabees have been
beaten and seem on the point OF being
driven to the north Of the Zambesi. Mr..
LABoUcHERE's Intervention in their favor
will have a merely academic interest.
The only visible source of danger to Mr..
GLADsToNE's administration during the
present session lies in Morocco. Should the
Spaniards. backed by the French and Rus
slams. demand and seize considerable
amount Of territory as indemnity for their
losses and expenditures at Melilla. English
public opinion might demand an interven-
ton for the purpose OF maintaining the
status quo at the entrance to the Mediter-
ranean. Mr.. GLADSTONE has never been
distinguished for an energetic foreign pol
Icy. and he would be particularly loath to
move with yigor in an affair where the
interests OF France and Russia were enlisted
on the opposite side.
In the absence Of any sudden crisis pro-
voked by the conflict Of national interests
in the Mediterranean. there seems no rea-
son to doubt that Mr.. GLADSTONE will carry
through the House OF Commons the legsla-
ton for which the autumn session was ar
ranged. The Employers Liability bill Is
intended to make employers really. instead
OF only nomnally. able for the loss OF life
or for the injuries incurred by workmen in
factories. on railways. and in mines. The
existing acts upon the subject are evaded
in two ways. first, by virtue of the highly
elastic plea Of contributory negligence on
the part OF the workmen. and. secondly. by
compelling workmen to enter into con-
tract exempting their employers from the
operation of the acts. The new bill declares
such contracts void. and vigorously defines
the circumstances under which workman
may be charged with contributory negli-
gence. 1t is hard to soc how such bill can
be opposed by Mr. CHAMBERLAIN. who. on
all subjects except home rule. processes
to BIO II more advanced Liberal than Mr..
GLADSTONE. However. whether the Liberal
Unionists do or do not combine with the
Conservatives against the measure is not a
matter Of much consequence. for they can