The Irish standard., 1895-07-27
TORIES IN THE SADDLE.

other dose OF Tory MISC government.
When Gladstone resigned the premier
ship and turned the affairs over to Lord
Rosebery the prediction was made by
some Of the Irish papers that the Liberals.
would soon be among the minority. The
new premier. while he made many prom
ises, and apparently meant q little Of
what he said, fell short when he came TO
look for the confidence Of the people that
backed the party of which he was leader.
Though titled dignitary in British poll
itics, he failed to enthuse when he found
it necessary to do so to keep his support
ers together He was wanting In those
magnetic qualities that Mr.. Gladstone ex-
ce1led in. He was to a certain extent
cold and Indifferent to the party that had
done so much for him, and when the
storm came, his craft was without ballast,
and was dashed against every Tory rock
in the harbor. fit is true that he: con-
tributed in an indirect way to the defeat
I of Sir William Vernon Harcourt. his
chancellor of the excheuuer, as cabled
from London a few days ago, then he got
his just deserts. If his selfishness forced
him to stab his best friends in the back,
then it was we'll that he should be buried
deep enough where he will remain for all
time. Ireland had little to hope from the
promises Of such man. While the out
look for Home Rule now is rather gloomy,
still 1t is possible that the Tory govern
rnent may give Ireland some sort Of q
local government bill. Lord Salisbury
promised Mr. Parnell some years ago
that if he ParnelD would assist theSTortes
in getting control Of the government,
Home Rule would be in order. But like
the average English promise, it was worth
Enothing, and amounted to as much. The
only bright cloud inEhe dark sky that how
ers over Ireland now seems to lie in the
cumbersome and unwieldly majority that
the new government has to keep in line.
The Unionists, Of which there are many
returned to parliament, are not pledged
to the support Of the government. OF
course there will be money matters Tor
the new government to pass on besides
Home Rule, and Salisbury may, like
.Rosebery, find himself with a majority on
the wrong side of the house some fine
morning. The Irish members will, no
doubt, stand for any and all measures
that will be for the benefit of their con-
stituents But they must be careful and
not identify themselves with the new gov
eminent until they get something for
Ireland's benefit in return for their sup
port. They must not forget to warn their
constituents against committing any
overt acts, no matter how small, lest they
bring upon themselves the causes of the
Coercion Act, which Bloody Balfour de-
lighted In enforcing when he was Ire
lsnds chief secretary. The new lord
lieutenant and chief secretary for Ire
land are both harmless youths who know
as much about Ireland and her wants as
mouse does about music The new
Chief secretary is q brother of Arthur
James Balfour, and will be guided by his
brother in conducting the affairs OF the
Office. That means,.of course, that bull
lets and bayonets will be used to collect
back rents and evict poor tenants. 1t
will behoove the Irish people to give these
enemies of their country no chance to
shoot them down like dogs as they did In
the past. &. .s=3