New-York tribune., 1895-10-20

PRITAIN-MUsTc AND ft
DRAMA IN LONDON
fpr CABLE TO THE rRrBuNE.l
copyy,obt 1896. By The Tribune AssoefstfoA
London. Oct l9-Whatever Mr.. LabouchssS
nav cav Lord Rosebery Is the only poss'o'e LID
eral leader There have been signs OK intrSO
go. resou agains1 ann. Dut lac nas disciee'y 'S
NAMED in the background and bided MS ume.
When there was full time for sober secoho
thought 1t was apparent that there was no nv~s
to take his place. The responsibility for the oe-
feat was shared equally by all his colleagues
and he was not personally identified with inc
Local Veto like Sir William Harcourt. nor with
Home Rule, like John Morley. nor with "eisn
Disesta blishment. like Mr.. Asquth. The party
has finally turned to him for words OF cheer
and hope, and has not been disappointed He
has the qualities Of mind needed In a leader
whose followers dlsmayed and splritless. ~
can affect a jaunty air and optimism OF the
Mark Tapley order when the situation Is we'll
nigh hopeless
Mr. Asquith had preceded Lord Rosebery eS
Morley with little success, beyond the discovery
that one of his ancestors had been sentenced to
be hanged, drawn and quartercd for attempting
to establish the reign Of Purtansm. That re-
minder Of the former trials Of advanced Licerai-
ism was not signal for the return OF conncence
in the party's principles. Lord Roseoery was
welcomed at Scarborough with real enthusiasm.
He made three speeches, one at the opening OF
the new Liberal Club: another at the banquet
and the third to a larger audferce at the circus;
and while he said nothing that was either deep
or eloquent ne spoke with the air OF man VINO
rad the right to assume the sole responsibility OF
leadership He took broad view OF the po'
litical situation. The Liberals might not have
been good tacticians. but they had aimed hign
and had tried faithfully to carry out tneir
PROMISES They had left behind a useful surplus.
revived trade, a splendid fleet, OF which their
successors we're taking advantage. TIER oppo-
nents had obtained power by promising employ
ment to the unemployed. pensions to the !dlers
and the whole familiar programme OF Jsck Cade.
These promises could never be fulfilled Already
there were signs Of reaction against the new
Government The Liberals ~'ust organize for
new campaign and educate the country In real
Liberalism.
There was nothing novel In these phrases. Tut
Lord Rosebery was evidently saying the right
thing in the right way and revealing the
patience. courage and sanguine temper OF a real
political leader His main speech lacked dennite-
ness: but was all the better on that account
The Liberal policy has been too dehnite ana
comprehensive since Mr. Gladstone went OUT ct
cfTlce. OF programmes. Lord Rosebery wouso
saw nothing. and he was wise. The party was
10 be reconstructed from the bottom. however,
and a change in the constitution OF the House
Of Lords was to be the chief objective point.
Lord Roseoery's opponents diId much to criticiss
in what they describe as his half-hea1eo
speeches but re has really come to time smiling
and has given evidence that he alone can lead
the party in the present crisis OF Ito fortuneA
Mr.. Mccarthy has also been speaking In Bristol
and Cardiff words Of soberness and good sense on
the evils Of the Irish factonal feuds. Nothing
could be palmer than the truth OF his main
proposition, tina, the success Of the Home Rule
cause depends not on the support OF the English
Liberals but on the emphatic utterance OF Irish"
men everywhere; that majority rule must pre-.
vail and that there should be one solid' united
Nationalist party.
Meanwhile. the Secretary for Ireland. taking
up his parable at Leeds, has admitted that tho
people of the island would vote for Home Rule
again tomorrow II another general election
were held vet has maintained that they are
weary OF political agitation and ready to receive
In kindly spirit anything which the Unionists
may DO for them. The attempt to XIII Home
Rule with kindness has often been tried, but
never with success. The Irish people are always
ready to take what they can get from farha-
ment but the majority Of them remain convinced
tbst they could do more for themselves than
English legislators ever do for them. Gerald
Balfour Is not the first Secretary who as begun
with the amable intention OF promoting tho
welfare Of the island In various small, safe ways
His benevolent talk Is praised by Liberal ana
Unionist journals alike, but Irish members OF all
factions may soon find themselves In the same
lobby. voting against his measures. 1t Is In the
Opposition lobby that the problem OF Irish 70
union will be worked out. Il at all.
Mr.. Plunket's elevation to the peerage leaves .
vacant seat for the University Of Dublin. for
which Mr. Lecky, the historial Is mentioned a.
candidate, although he may be rejected In
favor OF some ambitious lawyer. The choice OF
so eminent man of letters will be an important
event but not even he will properly replace %
useful and eloquent a Commoner as Mr. Funkets
The surrender Of the Sultan IL the second VIC.
tory for Lord Salisbury within fortnight An
imperial decree has been issued approving the
scheme OF reforms for Armenia. which England
France and Russia have been demanding for
more than a year. What the scheme may DO
worth as a. practical remedial measure It would
be premature TO forecast. The Tmes's' Con-
stantinople correspondent says that the accept
arco OF the reform scheme will not settle the
Armenian question and may tend to sgsravate
the Mahometan exasperaton as an act OF hbers
ality 70 Christians That Is doeful account
Of the virtues Of policy for which three Chris.
tian nations have been cont ending with more or
| less sincerity for many months. It. will %
| prophetic. as well doleful II the reform Is to
| begin in Anatolia, 250 miles from Erzercum, ana
| not TO reach Armenia until the other provinces
have been reformed In the le.surely Turkish way
| The pachal.cs are not abolished. and they Arc
| the root OF all the evil: but the sultan mas
Welded 10 the moral force Of Europe. and that .