Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-07
THICKER THAN HOPS
ARE PARTY MANIFESTOES IN ENGLAND
Every Political Faith Is Appealing to the Elect ors-Home Rule in Evidence Lord
 Rosebery's Battle Cry.

London, July 6.-(Special Cable Let ter)-The distinctive feature of the pres ent electoral campaign, as compared with any previous occasion of the kind in the history of the country, is the num- Der and variety of party manfestoes. Hitherto the appeals which have been made to the electors have emanated from two or three authoritative sources and have defined more or less explicitly the great party programmes, which each candidate must pledge himself either to accept or reject. During the week the country has been deluged with party and factional programmes taking every conceivable ground in the treatment of the issues upon which the coming elec- tion is to be contested.
 The official dictum of the executive committee of the liberal party has been followed by a illumination by the radi- cal factions combined in body, called the National Reform union. Following these have been launched appeals from the Welsh nationalists, the local option ists, the Publicans' association and the Agricultural union, the latter demand ing special protection to farmers.
 The Liberty of Property league de- nounces state interference in anything, while the socialists are out in a demand for the privilege of interfering with everything. An equal diversity of opin- ion and want of coherence is to be found in the manifestoes of the labor party, the McCarthyites, the Healyites the Red monites and all the other 'ites' and ad- vocates of other "iSms' The general party principles and characteristics oi the leaders of the various parties and factions are shown in these addresses and especially through the programme issued by the liberal leaders.
 Lord Rosebery sounds the battle cry of the liberal party in demand for re- form of the house of lords.
 Sir William Harcourt regards the local veto question as of first importance, and MT. John Morley alone puts home rule in the forefront of the line of battle.
 The liberal and radical conspiracy of silence against home rule has stirred MT. Morley to the depths of indignation, as Is evidenced by his Manchester speech in which he said: If at this election the liberal candidates shall put home rule aside the liberal party will become the most dishonest political organization in the history of England" But for this honest utterance there is no doubt that the liberal party would have gone on ig- noring pledges to the lrish party, winch kept them in power until MT. Gladstone g retirement from office and political life ruined them.
 MT. Gladstone himself sent the chill of death through the hope of home rule by his absolute silence in regard to this measure in his recent farewell letter to his Midlothian constituents. Since MT. Morley delivered his Manchester speech and stung by the widespread reports that the eX-premier has turned unionist, MT. Gladstone has found it advisable to write a brief letter advising the people to rec ognize the just claims of Ireland, the phrase meaning nything-unionism or home rule, according to the views or the reader.
 Lord Rosebery and Sir William Yer non Harcourt in their speeches yester- day, however, found it prudent to admit that home rule was still plank in the platform of the liberal party. but if the Irish leaders have not by this time be- come disillusionized as to the value of liberal pledges, they have themselves to blame.
 The radical manifesto is as honest and straightforward declaration as any that has been issued. It simply advo- cates home rule not only in Ireland, but in Scotland and Wales as well, begin ming, however, in Ireland. The radical programme places domestic legislation first on the list. Unless the balance of the parties in the coming parliament shall restore the value of the Irish vote, which is not at all likely, the chances are that the Irish cause will be post poned for at least decade.
 Sir Henry Irving has been sounded as to his willingness to contest one Of the London districts for seat in parlia- meDt. and to these oVertureS he has re- piled with a mixture of good sense and irony
 .It would be tri1e inconvenient" MT. Irving writes, Ito be called off the stage by the urgent summons of party. and still more awkward if the public should insist upon my coming forward between