The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-14
VIII Now Be Able to Form a
Ministry on Tory
Lines.
HARCoURT IS BADLY BEATEN.
Derby, Heretofore a Liberal Strong
hold, Gives the Opposition
a Large Majority.
ICopyright 1895 by the New York Times.l

an earring udke WHICH mas opened under the
feet of the Liberal party tonight. Most
sane people have been prepared during the
week, especially since Gladstone so mark
edly withdrew from even an appearance of
interest in the contest, for a considerable
Tory majority. Tonight when, out of lust
six Liberal seats heard from, five were re-
turned as lost to the Tories, people began
TO admit that the outlook was pretty bad.
However, as most of the losses were in
Lancashire, there was a certain relief in
remembering that that county was doubly
disaffected over cotton duties and the In
dian silver question, and it seemed legiti-
mate to hope that matters would be better
elsewhere.
Then all Of sudden came news which
made every jaw drop. Derby, which has
been devoutly Liberal since the party ex-
listed and where Harcourt was supposed to
be absolute master, was reported Just before
midnight to have given two Tories over
1000 majority.
The figures were frankly disbelieved. 1t
seemed indeed incredible. Such a thing
had never been known in English politics.
but it was true, and on the heels of confr-
nation despair set in. 1t took only a few
seconds to suggest the theory that Rose
bery's friends had organized for the
slaughter Of Harcourt in his own bailwick,
and thousands of Liberals go to bed to-
night aghast at this thought.
But 1t is not necessary to introduce homi-
cidal suspicious of this sort into the thing.
1t is enough to know that the Liberal
party is buried ont Of sight. Since the
great betrayal OF Gladstone and the mer-
cenary deal by which Rosebery was foisted
into his place, some such result has been
growing more and more likely. But reality
now staggers speculation.
I have Just returned from flying visit to
the Tory clnb,. where they are throwing
chairs and tables about for sheer Joy and
the walls are shaken by their delirious
cheers.
They are in for at least six years, and
they count excitedIy tonight on q ma
iority big enough to enable them to get on
without Cham berlain and the Unionists,
If necessary, owing in part to the disorgan-
lied condition into which politics has
fallen since Gladstone's retirement, and in
part to the Unexampled suddenness with
which the whole crisis was precipitated on
the public.
The elections are progressing with much
less partisan heat and rowdyism than
usual. In each OF the three contests of
this sort which 1 have witnessed before,
there were meetings invaded by mobs and
broken up; bloody encounters in the
streets, and the like all through the
borough campaign.
This time, with the exception of the
rufhanly behavior of a street crowd to
Lady Harcourt at Derby, practically
nothing of the kind has been reported.
On the other hand, should say that the
general election viii be much more corrupt
than any in recent years There used to
be certain proportion of saloon-keepers
on the Liberal side, but that has come ab-
solutelY to an end. 1t is noted in the
newspapers that there is one large public
house in Battersea which displays the
bills and colors of John Burns, and this is
described as probably unique in all London.
When it is remembered that there are
over 10000 licensed saloons in the metro
politan district this is of great signif-
canoe. London, so far as the Tories are
concerned, is no longer fought for by men
of reputation as statesmen, but by rich
merchants, stockholders, or promoters,
who salt the constituency generously with
subscriptions and donations, and when
the contest comes they turn the whole
liquor-selling trade into an electoral
agency for their benefit. This is the real
reason why London, which is Liberal in
municipal matters, votes Tory when the
question is one of Parliament.
Throughout the country, too, in the
smaller towns this powerful solidarity of
publicans has dispirited local Liberals
often to the point of making no fight at all.
Three boroughs-Chester, Taunton and
Bury st. Edmunds-which gave an average
Tory majority in 1892 of under 500, and
used all to be Liberal, have been abandoned
without contest now because the liquor
trade and brewers frighten off opposition.
Under the heading of corruption, too,
nay be safely placed large share of the
fifty so-called labor candidates who have
been nominated in Liberal constituencies
With the avowed purpose OF handing them
over to the Tories. Nobody doubts that
these mems expenses are paid, at least in
directly, by the Tories.
At the last election they scarcely got
their moneys worth, although they per-
naps gained ten seats by this device. But
his time it looks as if they were making |
better investment The truth is that it
'equires some inspiring, overpowering, |
moral excitement to give the Liberals |
air chance in England against their op-
?onents' power of money. This year that
s mournfully lacking, and the snob class
I'll unafraid are running riot with corrupt
appeals to the basest instincts OF the |
electorate. Colonel North, for instance. is |
making dead set to oust Herbert Glad.
Ttone in Leeds.
His speeches are unparalleled examples |
VI ignorance, vulgarity and the coarsest
bids to everything selfish and mean in the
constituency. They would have attracted
vide, almost ircredulous attention few
ears ago. Now they are merely chuckled |