New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-21
RRITISH ELECTORAL RESULTS.

The British elections are now about three
quarters done. This week will see the last of
them. with the exception OF few Irish counties.
which will not vote until tomorrow week. and
the Orkncys, which are under a special law and
will not be heard from until some time next
month The result down TO yesterday afternoon
was as follows: Pollings had been made In iol
constituencies out OF total OF go. The Gov
eminent had carried $40 and the Opposition lol
The former thus 1s3 ahead. Tho actual net
gain for the Government was CT. Only ID seats
were necessary TO give 1t bare majority. IT.
therefore there he no further gains whatever, the
Government will have clear majority OF H'
over all. That will be large enough 10 be rcck-
oned overwhelming. There IS, however, no rea-
son 10 suppose the gains are nj an end, or that
there will be any revulsion in favor OF The OF,
nosItion. The course u the elections has been
singulary steady The Government has been
gaining seats day by day. at an almost UNIFORM
ratio. IL that ratio be maintained to the end,
the net gain will be about 50, and the majority
1877 Probably the ratio OF gain will be some
what diminished: but even II II be- clear ma
tority OF more than 100 Will still be n safe est-
mate.
The causes Of this amazing overiurn have been
much discussed. with some illumination ana
profit. but without entirely positive conclusions.
Local issues are insufficient 10 account for
changes SO Widespread Nor does any one gen
craI cause appear to be sufficient. unless 1t be
simply that the people have decided upon Il
change which IL not an ultimate cause nj all
There are. however three general causes men
toned by our London correspondent in the lucid
lott vuhich uruf
day which doubtless had marked effect upon
the polling. One IL that the Cnionsts were the
better organized. They have the advantage Of
Mr. Chambcrlain's presence and leadership,
while the IiberalRadical machine. deprived Of
Mr.. schnadhorst's sklful hand. is running wild
ly and to little purpose. Another is that the
Unonists had more money than their opponents.
That also is quite true. But It Is dlsheartenng
object-lesson in human ingraitudc. What has
become Of all the millionaire Liberals and Rad
icals upon whom Mr.. Gladstone and Lord Rose
berry have been comforting pecragcs and other
honorsl Lord Wandsworth is one OF them, and
he has actually let the Unionists win the seat
he occupied In the last House!
The third reason named by Mr.. Ford is per-
sonal one and 1t may well be that II IL the most
potent Of all This is the first campaign for
many q year from which Mr.. Gladstone has
been absent From II he has been altogether
absent, for the brief documents cxtortcd from
him for use as campaign documents are color
less and Intellectual, His magic name his in
spring personality. his eloquent voice. his In
tensity Of purpose. his unfailing energy. his
unrivalled knowledge, his masterful leadership
in strategy and In open war, have all been lack
ing How much the loss Of them has affected
the general result can never be exactly known:
but he will greatly err who leaves II out Of his
reckoning. This too, must be rcckOnel az a
potent factor. that Mr.. Gladstone has not only
been out Of the campaign, but has largely been
repudiated by the party he once led. We all
remember the attitude Of many Radical leaders
toward him while he was yet Prime Minister
Lord Randolph Churchill has called him an old
man In hurry. They. still more brutally, called
him m old man in the way. They told him he
was too old and too slow and that he had better
get out. He did get out. and then they raised a
chorus Of indecent applause They cried Good
riddancer' and congratulated themselves that
at last the obstacle Wa removed. the brake Wa