The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-03-25

]or1ty OF his party. l heard With some
surprise that when Mr.. Parnell was on a
visit to Mr. Edward Evans, Jr., of Liver
pool, Immediately aftsr his historic visit
to Hawarden, he spoke OF the possibility
of the Irish members crossing the floor
of the Houee and swelling the great Lib
eral majority which he expected to see.
l Fancy myself that the Irish party will
continue to act in the future as it has in
the past, and will sit on the opposition
benches until Home Rule is definitely
conce led or definitely denied. Many
resders have often doubtless been puz-
zled by reading in the newspapers that
cheers have proceeded from below the
gangway. This word '.gangway" is one
Of the most puzzling in parliamentary
1t is always turning up end
it seems to indicate all kinds OF things.
The gangway is simply che passage that
runs down on either side Of the benches,
Evidently it would have been too incon->
yer lent for a member to have had to
pass up the whole uninterrupted length
Of bench in order to get at his seat, and
therefore, for convenience sake, break
is made half way up the benches. Little
did the upholsterers or architect who
made this ordinary provision think of
the magnitude of the work they had
done. The institution of the gangway
is one of the most momentous to poll
t;cians. The gangway has been the di-
viding line that has broken up many
party and many q ministry; and finally,
the gangway is the rubicon which Lib
eral member has to CROSS on his first en-
trace thereby proclaiming to all time
his choice between the moderate and the
extreme section of Liberal opinion. The
meaning of all this is that the gangway
on the Liberal, and to some extent on
the Conservative side, marks the dividing
line between two sets of opinion. Any
man who takes his seat below the gang
way on the Liberal side thereby signifies
that he is u Radical. On the other hand
it member sits above the gangway he
proclaims that his views are moderate.
F Furthermore, above the gangway men
are those who take the delicate method
of suggesting that they are not indis-
posed to accept service in a paid office
under the Queen if there be any desire
to utilize their abilities. The traditions
as to the seats below the gangway re-
presenting Radical opinion are so stub
born that Mr.. Bright, when heleft office,
resumed his seat on the benches below
the gangway. Although he had been
one of the official tribe, he proclaimed
his Radicaliem the moment he had es~
capped from the official collar. Similarly
in 1886, when Mr.. Chamberlain left the
ministry of Mr.. Gladstone on the intro
duction of Home Rule, he took his seat
on the benches below the egangway. Mr..
John Morley took his seat below the
gapgway when he first entered parlia-
ment, and undoubtedly if he left Lib
eral ministry that also would be tie spot
where he would again seek his abiding
place. On the Conservative side of the
House the line is not drawn so tightly.
Let me give an instance which the
change from below to above the gang
way marked an important political event
in it's way. 1t is we'll known that Lord
Randolph Churchill formed what IS
called the Fourth party in 1880, when
the Conservatives had sustained an over
whelming defeat at the polls. There
could be no doubt that he was an inde-
pendent mem ber-he was, indeed, inde-
pendent with vengeance. For five
years he made almost equally violent
war on the leaders OF the Liberal and on
the leaders of the Tory party. He was
as mercilese to poor Sir Stafford North
cote as to Mr.. Gladstone. One of his
partners in his rash and audacious enter
prise was Mr.. Arthur Balfour. Mr.. Ar
thur Balfour was not then held in any
thing of the high regard he has since
succeeded in gaining; he played very
second fiddle indeed to Lord Randolph
Churchill. He was not supposed to have
any of the reckless and irrepreesible
courage of his leader, and often there
we're rumors of break between the
rashness of the one and what was con-
sidered the timidity of the other. But
these rumors, though often repudiated,
we're not realized till the third or fourth
year Of the eq4tAr enterprise. One night Mr..
Balfour was nrissed from his place be-
side Lord Ralnaddolph Churchill. It is
extraordinary Fl hh5bv hbbFva. quick the House of
Commons isotUepreceive q little thing
like this Skortly after Mr.. Balfour
rose from the third bench above the
gangway. At once there was wild
outburstof laughter. Neither the Fourth
party or any Of its members were taken
very seriously in those days. The break
up Of the small body was regarded with
something of amused contempt with
which one would hear OF the outbreak of