The sun., 1894-03-23
ms. eE<osrors zSp sas soUss
OF EoRDs


A. Asstz4.. wee 80 ths Nsw Fesatassi ssss
ustfsa - Essisss.
vrKwrl. Msreh A-Thsnks to the Pan kaH
Gasefte, OF. to speak more exactly. thanks 20
the personal relations Of the Dnks Of Fife. and
the Duke Of Abereorn. aud to the connection Of
one Of the brothers OF the Duke Of Abercorn
with the PaH NaH Gasette. the news which has
to-day been flashed all over the Continent OF
therssienstion OF kr. Gladstone. has failed to
take the world Of politics By surprise The
Grand Old Man has svadsd the disaereesble me-
cessity Of dissolvinR . Parliament controlled
By majority distinctly and personally dsvot-
ed to himself and he has thus devolved upon
his suceesser the responsibility OF admitting
By an eventual dissolution the failure OF this
majority to carry into effect the political pro-
eramme which. under the influence OF Mr..
Gladstone. II vas elected to ful1l
Iwrots fortnight ago that certain din
ner given about that time in London By the
Earl Of Rossbery. ct which the Dukes OF Devon
shire and Of Abercorn were guests. distinctly
forsshadoved the step which Mr.. Gladstone
has now taken. and made II . good deal more
than probable that the step. when taken.
would he taken IN concert with the ablest and
most statesmanlike member Of Mr. Gladstone's
Cabinet. And now the teleerams inform us
that after accepting Mr. Gladstone's resig-
nation. her Majesty. Queen Victoria sent for
the Earl OF Rosebery and put into his hands
the duty Of conducting the Administration.
There IL no precedent 1 think. for the
situssion thus created in British pelities.
The Prime Minister who LAYS down the reins
Of power. may claim more accurately than
Chatham to be called the Great Commoner. He
is . Commonsr By birth and By ancestry. for his
father. . man Of the people and not Of the
English. but Of the Scottish people. who made
his fortune as . merchant In Liverpool. was
1. ~. h.te
ago. at the instance and through the influence
Of his gifted son. when Mr.. Gladstone went
out OF the frst Cabinet oflce which he ever
held think. as q member OF the Government
Of Sir Robert Peel The Prime Minister now
summoned by the Queen on Mr. Glsdstone's
suggestion. to succeed Mr.. Gladstone. neither
now 10 nor ever has been. politically speaking.
Q Commoner. A nobleman by descent aud
By Inheritance. Lord Rosebery. whose father
died when he was Q lad. found himself Q
member Of the House OF Peers on at
tanning his majority. II is impossible for
any British subject more completely to rep
resent the principle and practice Of heredi-
tary legislation Throughout his whole earee.
Mr.. Gladstone has sought and obtained power
through the machinery OF elections II is By
the skilful employment OF this machinery
that he has been advanced from post to post
in the public administration OF his country.
until Europe has seen him at the head OF the
Cabinet. from which he now retires. riding the
political storm and directing the parliamentary
whirlwind With the authority OF . practical
dictator. why does he now retire. leaving the
great expectations Of Ireland unfulnllsd and
the great radical measures OF the Newcastle
programme unenacted?
His friends tell the world that the m iRhty chief
leaves tho plough In the furrow because Of
physical inHrmity. affecting though not Il 10 to
be hoped. threatening. his vision. which impsr-
atively demands for him q season Of repose In
the soothing shades OF private life. Doubtless
there may be truth In this. though here in
Austria q public man. com mentiax on the po-
sition to me to-day. observed that similar in
frmity does not at this moment prevent the
German Chancellor. Count Won Caprivi. from
personally conducting with extraordinary en-,
ergy the great parliamentary battle which
william IL 10 fighting against the German
Tories for cheap bread" and the Russo Ger
man treaty in the Reichstae. Is It not matter
OF history. too. that the blind old Dandolo."
at an age beyond that now attained by Mr..
Gladstone. led his victorious legions to the
storming and capture OF ConstantinopIs2
While Mr.. Glsdstone's general health 10 ad-
mitted to be excellent. his eyesight doubtless
has suffered. especially from the protracted
night sessions OF the House and II is also said.
from the consciousness OF slight injury he
received eighteen months ago. whom an angry
and excited woman in q crowd at Chester sx-
pressed her disapproval OF his Irish policy By
thfowing at him crusty loaf OF stale bread.
which struck him in the eye. But while the
need OF rest for his eyes. which have always
been one OF his strongest weapons In debate.
may be with Mr.. Gladstone at this moment
very real need. 1t appears to observers Ike
myself on the Continent that he has himself
stated q stronger and more imperative reason
for the step he has now taken. He wound up
. debate In the House OF Commons on Thurs
day night last with speech the peroration Of
which was an almost overt declaration OF war
against the House OF Lords He declared. In
RnIs siii and the r EmPioysas LianiiitS I bill. % ON
ns hoq:s 2. bad sPsns
;aksg.tiOa Fl lssisstivs inisnS,eids sgans.
House S f'Id Of Iords was va: to modify r but shetSss
Il Was to annihllats: the whole work OF the
tion OF the moment Mr.. Gladstone announced
that 1t was not the Intention OF his Govsrnmsnt
Lords TO third Government blli. tho Parish
Councils bill In HE opinion the process. OF
two Houses had gone on IoIg enough"
and could not be continued without perhaps
t the eoantny. III. GoT.rnmspe 'fs ts.s.fore sfs o.
would accept the Lords amen 3 ment under
protest. with the hope and intention OF nnding
inc" the work cone by the upper House.
OF course such language must naturally
M Gisdstons 10 mean that IN his opinion. the
House Of Lords has no right even 10 modify.
taSsn bs the Commons. ifths House Of isaSs LoTas
has no right TO do this why should the House
OF Lords continue to exist OF what possible
check or to correct the action Of lower cham
berl Mr.. Gladstone did not go to the full
length Of assailing the hereditary principle In
the British Legislators. but the force Of his
words went q good deal further than this.
the extreme dsmoeIatic idea OF single eham-
Der; for certainly II an upper chamber doss
not exist as the Senate OF the United States
exists, for the express purpose of arrssting
possible excesses OF hAsty legislation on the
part OF the lower chamber Il will not be easy
to show any reason why II should exist
at all The method Of appointment OF an
upper chamber is Of very little importance IL
an upper chamber has no serious functions TO
perform. and 40 real authority to sKsrciEa.