Evening star., 1894-02-28
GLADSTONE'S PLANS
The British Premier in Conference
With the Queen.
GOSSIP as TO His RETIREMENT
Contradictory Reports Regarding
His Intentions.
FUTURE OF HOME RULE

LONDON. Feb. 2s.-In spite Of the cold
Mr.. Gladstone drove from his official
Downing street residence to Buckingham
| this afternoon. Upon arrival at the palace
Mr.. Gladstone was Immediately admitted
| to the presence Of the queen.
1t is freely stated that it is believed that
Mr.. Gladstone has gone to the palace in
| order to officially tender his resignation to
her majesty.
| Mr.. Gladstone Is understood to have
| made a proposal to his colleagues to re-
| vive the home rule question in the shape
of a resolution pledging the house Of
commons to deal with home rule for Ire
land at the following session Of parlia-
ment.
This proposal is said not to have found
favor with the cabinet ministers.
The Independent of Dublin accepts the
reports Of Mr.. Gladstone's retirement as
| meaning that the movement In FAVOR OF
home rule will be dropped.
The Freeman's Journal party will con-
| tinue to insist that the settlement OF the
| Irish question is to be the controlling
| The Edinburgh Evening News today
| repeats emphatically that Mr.. Gladstone
| has resigned the premiership ana that IL
| has been offered to Lord Rosebery.
The Times declares that whatever Is
| done about the leadership 1t is certain
| that home rule will be dropped and that
neither Lord Rosebery nor Sir William
Vernon Harcourt is likely to revive It.
The Times adds: However they may
differ upon other points they know per-
| fectly we'll that the British public is sick
Of paying blackmail to criminal conspira-
| tors"
| The Standard believes 1t is fact that
Mr. Gladstone's eyesight Is growing much
worse. and that an operation VIII soon De
| necessary. Recognizing this fact NJ. Glad
stcne informed his colleagues that his early
! retirement was inevitable. but he hoped
that 1t would be only temporary. He told
| them that he would resume the premiership
should his eyes become strong enough to
warrant 1t.
The Times thinks that the denial Of Mr..
| Gladstones actual resignation may be ac-
| cepted without question by those unable to
| adopt the inference that the alarm In the
radical camp was altogether causeless. but
It can hardly be doubted that semi-ohcial
denial signifies postponenent OF the crisis
Lord Rosebe-y's leadership would be far
more satisfactory to the country generally
| than that of any other Gladstonian.
The Daily News says that Mr.. Gladstone
has taken no step in the direction of re-
signing. The Earl Of Rosebery's visit to the
queen had no relation, 1t adds, to the cur
rent political rumors.
The Daily News. further commenting on
| the rumors about Mr.. Gladstone. saws that
in view OF his age 1t is only right that the
I
| infirmities Of age make his onerous duties
| irksome. II would be inhuman to keep Mr..
| Gladstone at his post merely because OF q
difference Of opinion prevailing in reference
| to the choice OF his successor.
| The Daily News then strongly recon-
mends the Earl Of Rosebery. but adds that
there will be no whisper Of discontentment
| with Mr.. Gladstone's supremacy so long as
he is willing to remain supreme
| The Chronicle says that the retirement Of
Mr. Gladstone is imminent. 1t is almost an
| open secret that his eyesight Is no longer
| equal to even the least important duties Of
political leader. All stories Of dissension
| or disappointment at legislation being
baked may be dismissed as wholly unaf-
fecting his decision. When Mr.. Gladstone
resigns the wand II will be because his hand
can no longer WELD 1t and fo- no other res-
son whatever. 1t is probable that no decis-
ion has yet been reached as to the moment
OF MS resignation 1t is announced that
| taken steps to obtain pledges with regard
| TO nome rule In the event Of Lord Rosebery
or the Earl Of Spencer becoming premier
The Situation Unchanged
After Mr.. Gladstone's return from Buck
ingham Palace to Downing street the As
ISOLATED Press correspondent called at Mr..
Gladstone's residence and was received by
Mr.. Littleton. the secretary of the premier
Mr.. Littleton informed the correspondent
that Mr.. Gladstone had not resigned. and
| that the situation remained unchanged
| The correspondent then asked Mr. Little
ton II the situation is at present exactly
the same as when Sir Algernon West tele-
graphed from Biarritz after the Pail Mall
Gazette first started the report that Mr..
| Gladstone intended to resign
After some hesitation, Mr.. Littleton re-
piled that the situation of affairs was the
| same as when the much-discussed Biarritz
| dispatch was sent.
No Definite Statement Made
Later-Mr. Giadstone's audience with the
queen lasted half an hour
The queen returns to Windsor at 8 O'Clock
| this afternoon. In spite of the host Of ru-
mors in circulation regarding the premier
snip. no definite statement is possible at
| the time q p. m.) this dispatch is fled
| The general opinion seems to be, however
| that Mr.. Gladstone has either resigned, or
Will shortly resign, the premiership.