New-York tribune., 1895-06-25
THE FALLEN MINISTRY.

Few people will feel surprised at the resgna-
ton of the Rosebery Ministry. The majority Of
men in all divisions Of the Kingdom have expect
cd IT, and the Ministers themselves doubtless re-
gard it with relief, if not with rejoicing, a re-
lease from a situation that had become wellnigh
ntolcrablc. Due allowance in reckoning the
shortcomings Of the fallen Ministry must be
made for the circumstances amid which 1t as
sumed power. 1t came in as the inhcrior of n
policy and programme formulated by the great
est British statesman of his generation, and Of
the alliances he had formed and Of the antago-
nislns he had incurred in the furtherance there
Of That policy and programme were the most
momentous, those alliances the most hcterogc
neous and unstable. and those antagonsms the
most resolute within the memory Of living men.
There would have been small cause for wonder
had Lord Roschcry, and indeed all other leaders
Of his party. fatcred and declined 10 undertake
the task which Mr.. Gladstone had begun. There
is no dishonor in not attempting 10 bend the
bow Of Ulysses. But Lord Rosebery and his col
leagues did not falter nor decline the task They
entered upon it with jaunty sef-confidence. ana
their followers in the House Of Commons and
in the country chccrcI them on with high salts
faction.
tut Out IfdSpu VI duttu'I 'Ht .iih"h' '''
not done the work expected Of it. Above all else
II was pledged 10 give Ireland relief from her
burdens and Home Rule 1t has not done 50.
1t has shelved Home Rule and II leaves the Land
bill not enacted 1t has bestowed not one prac-
teal benefit of importance upon the people to
whose support It owed its origin and It's main
tcnance and to whom It's solemn faith was
pledged. True il could not. FOR the House OF
Lords stood in the way There are many who
will regret that 1t did not make a more rcsolute
endeavor, and then. II baked irrcmedably by
the House Of Lords stake all on an heroic ap-
peal to the country 10 remove the obstacle Such
action would have commanded respect. whether
It won success or not But the Ministry did not
take such action
In other directions the conduct OF the Govern
ment was scarcely more effective. The crofter
and other Scotch questions were neglected until
members were driven 10 open revolt and TO
resignation OF their seats The Welsh Church
question is left in Il shape which plcases nobody.
The Socialists and Labor party were pleased
little by the adoption Of discriminating income
tax vet in other matters even they were alien
ated more than ever. In foreign anairs-the
very department in which Lord Roscbery was
expected most to excel-the record Is perhaps
least satisfactory Of all In Slam. In the Sou
dan. on the Nigel on the Nile. In Madagascar
in the Panirs, on the yellow Sea. Great Britain
has been overrcached or ignored. If she has
made gains in South Africa. II was In spite OF
herself and because Mr.. Rhodes dehel the Home
Government II she has annexed Uganda. II is
only because Ministers have done what five years
AGO they declared they would never do. II would
be unjust TO lay the blame OF these things AT Lord
Kosebery's door. Impaired health has forced
him to intr,lst nearly all affairs Of State TO others
and there is no doubt that he himself Is glad 10
he rid Of the odiu:n which divided party councils
imposed upon him.
Seldom has Ministry taken Office with more
ambitious promises Seldom, indeed has one left
office with so meagrc an array Of performances.
The party must now meet the electorate with
scarcely single issue worthy OF consideration
in national campaign, and probably doomed
TO defeat What the result OF such discipline
will be Is probematcal. 1t may De Christening
and reformatory. or it may be disntegratins
Certainly the forces Of disruption are strong.
Mr.. Labouchere and his Radical followers have
long been openly hostile TO Lord Rosebery and
are not likely to be reattached to those leaders
by this catastrophe. Nor are the Irish likely to
be enthusiastic in renewing and maintaining
their alliance with those who have again failed
to secure for them the Justice for which they
have so long pleaded. Under other circum-
stances and with more loyal colleagues Lord
| Rosebery may one day regain the Premiership
and yindicae the lofty expectations OF his ad-
mirers Certainly he deserves better fate than
that which has just befallen him. In this coun-
| try. at any rate, toward which his attitude has
ever been most friendly he will not lack sym
nathy and good wishes for the future.