The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-16
A NEW Issue IN ENGLAND.
Chamberlain Favors Education, While
the Tories 10 Not.

Harold Frederic In New York Times.
I have spoken before of the remarkable
amount of personal advertising that
Chamberlain is getting. Not the least in
teresting phase of this is the fact that the
Radical papers which, a few months ago.
held him in fierce loathing. are beginning
to say quite kindly things about him.
This is not, by any means, mere sponta-
neous recognition of his merits an ad-
ministrator. 1t has its origin rather in
report which is being quietly circulated TO
the effect that Chamberlain has resolved
TO resist his Tory colleagues on the educa-
ton ques ton, which now appears likely TO
force itself TO the front as a national issue
Americans would find Ii peculiarly difficult
to understand what that question involves
here. The Germans, Frenchmen, Dutch
men, Danes, Swedes-every people. in fact,
north of the Alps-regsrd English concep-
tions Of popular education worthy only of
barbarians. The British board school,
which is the nearest approach TO the free
school krown here is indeed an incredibly
limited and benighted affair, yet even this
seems to the Tory classes TO be a waste OF
public money. Unless II be an agricul-
tural depression, there is nothing that the
Tory squires and parsons feel so keenly
about as this, to them. monstrous notion
of educating the peasantry beyond their
station: and Immediately after the Tories
had won their great parliamentary ma
tority the pressure inside the party on this
subject became tremendous. Under its
stress both the bishops and principal Tory
leaders let IL be seen that they sympath-
lied with this demand for the revision of
the educational settlement of 1876. Moth
ing definite was promised, but hints that
TO the Catholic hierarchy in Ireland were
TO be conceded their educational claims have
increased the fears of the Nonconformists
that the clerics in England are TO have
IT, H~~- rx-lsl
is at the head OF the educational depart
ment in the ministry. is an enthusiastic
reformer, and makes speeches fayoring
still further educational advance. but Sal
isbury and other Tory chiefs take precise
~ the other line.
SO long as only Gorst raised the Gag of
mutiny the thing was not serious. because
he could easily be snuffed out, but the
story that Chamberlain is backing him lifts
the affair at once to prominence. l under
stand that II is upon this ground, too, that
John Morley has consented to return to
parliament through the back door or
safe Scotch seat. He had made no secret
of his aversion to the idea, and rather
CURLY declined the proffered Wells seat
last August, saying that with Harcourt
I'm Wales and Asquith, Treyelyan, Bryce
and Embellishments in Scotland,
really some front-bench Liberal ought
to try TO keep alive the idea that Lib
eraIism was not exclusively confined
to the Celtic fringe. He said then that
he would sit for Newcastle or nowhere.
He was sincere, too, I'm the desire 10 fin
ish his book on Chatham and clear up
other literary engagements; yet now he
accepts an offer OF MontrOse, and, APP
parently, is even willing to swallow the
formula Of Scotch home rule. which he
hates The explanation Is that the
school question has suddenly been lifted
10 place OF vital Importance, and on
that Morley Is more obviously the man
10 lead the Liberals than any other. He
has always maintained personal rela-
tons with Chamberlain. too. and there is
fair ground for suspicion that IN taking
this step he has acted on Information as
TO the Birmingham boss attitude in the
coming education fight.