New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-25

find It pos dbe to rouse the country ana 10 co"-
vince the Ministers that some definite scheme
with reference to the House or Lorus "''
strengthen it when they appeal to the country
they will consider the question. and perhaps Pio-
.duce a scheme. If not, not. Certain 1t is fhat
nothing could be more inchoate. formless' en-
bryonic even, than the present attack ana WIN
the present attack in its present form, Ministers
do not mean to identify themselves. They are
content to stand upon Mr.. Gladstones PLATFORM
nThey accept his account Of the matter. Ihey
link themselves to his views and do not care 10
go beyond his statement in the House OF Coin-
mons But the statement which constituted MS
legacy to the party did not itself go beyond
very vague indictment Of the Lords and threat
Of prosecution still less definite.
There are various minor issues which those
concerned about it do not consider minor put
major Sucb are Welsh Disestabshment, Scotch
Disestablishment Local Veto. and the Newcastle
programme in general. The bill for the relief OF
evicted tenants in Ireland is another, when
seems as vet to have no settled place in the pro-
gramme Of the present session, but must Deyoho
doubt be given one The Eight Hours bill Tor
miners is pushed with equal determination, ana
there are many others But on none or them' eN-
cept perhaps on Scotch Disestablshment is Lord
Rosebery's position unlike Mr.. Gladstone's any
more than on that new registration DILL WHICH Is
. expected to be also measure g. suffrage re-
form and to sweep into the electors dragnet 'he
omitted residuum. There is thee that resi-
duums are radical, and their claims, therefore,
entitled to immediate attention.
All these. however must be mentioned and no
ri at
and really momentous. 1t is TO be sought, not IN
the Foreign Office address, nor in the debating
sneech in the House of Lords, nor even in the
Corn Exchange Grafton at Edinburgh. but IN the
weghty manifesto of Wednesday at ST. James
Hall in London We have heard much lately OF
historic occasions, a phrase often used loosely
It has been used Of all these three appearances.
1t belongs in a far higher sense TO the meeting
of Wednesday, The Importance or that meeli"s
has nosfling to do. or little 10 do. with the Fro-
gressive majority Of the London County COUNCIL
who then presented an address TO their FORMER
Chairman on his promotion to be Prime MINIS
ter That was a graceful tribute, and the audi
ence which gathered to join in the ceremony
was a vast one and greeted Lord Rosepery WIN
enthusiasm. Nor was it the greater fact OF MS
Speech which important. with It's euiosy
unon the Council and it's earnest discussion of
elaborate narrative of what the late Government
had done or tried to do for London and Tor the
working classes in London and elsewhere.
What was important, what was really mo-
mentous and entirely new, was the declaration.
or tho ond of the new spirit which this new
prirne Minister means to introduce into public lie
and into the government of this country. He de-
6ned IL as the spirit which aims more at the
inprovement of the lot of the worker and the
roer than at those great constitutional effects IN
which past Parlaments have taken their prloe'
Upon that text Lord Rosebery spoke not more
than seven or eight minutes 1t is probable that
from those seven or eight minutes may be dated
a new political in England.
Bv happy image he suggested that in the
lowering of the suffrage they had somewhere or
other lit upon the conscience Of the community,
now at last alive to its duties TO all classes
With perhaps an unconscious reminiscence OF
Stewards immortal phrase the Higher Law.
he announced the higher morality as the
future rule of politics. BY that are
governments henceforth to be guided. He
9 appealed to that unnamed body OF cit-
zens ever inclined to say "A plague on both
your houses; a plague on both your parties"
and to demand of the debaters and politicians to
cease their mere talk and do something for the
people. He did not despair. he said, of seeing at
no distant day a Prime Minister who from time
to time would descend from the platform Of
party and speak straight to the hearts of his
fellow -countrymen The cheers of the audience
answered for them that they thought they had
found such a Prime Minister. He entreated
them. he said not to save his Cabinet or himself,
but to save themselves and the most OF the peo-
pie about them. by some effective action. from
the perils which beset England from dam
gers such as no war threatened, and which
it is the prayer Of this Government she may es-
cape.
&c. 1t is nothing to say OF these glowing sentences
that they eloquent, or that they stirred deep
! feelings and sympathies among those who heard
them. 1t was noble rhetoric and noble ora
tory, but it much more than that 1t was
the herald Of the new political morning, the
proclamation Of policy for the people and by
the people-a people educated. regenerated, up
lifted, and, If you like consecrated to the gospel
of the reform. that social reform which is
not Socialism, but far purer and far more prac-
tcal and practicable doctrine. 1t must be taken
up it meant, ana 1t meant practically.
If you have any doubt of its practical purport
or value, you have only to note that MIR. Cham
berlain, who went to Edinburgh on a mission Of
criticism declared himself in hearty agreement
with the tone and spirit of this speech. There
indeed" said the Unionst leader, spoke a
statesman, and there indeed seem TO be lis
tening to real convictions" Mr. Chamberlain is
the most practical Of politicians. and also one
of those most deeply interested in the welfare Of
the workingman In both capacities his testi-
mony is that Of an expert. He saw that Lord
Rosebeiy's words were meant as a solemn appeal
to the true Democracy of England, her working
classes as they shall be hereafter There If any
where must the sources and foundation Of sta
Bile policy and strong national party be sought
and that is the aim which, believe, Lord Rose
berry has set before him. He has already more
than any other living Englishman the confidence
Of the working classes, confidence borne Of the
intelligent sympathy he has shown them. From