Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-21
The British Elections

The Liberal defeat In the British eiee-
| tons amounts to rout. Inc i".
that Sir William Vernon Harcourt cou''
not hold his seat at Derby. which was
considered an almost impresnable LApera'
fortress, was discouraging enough; ou.
when John Morley (Gladstone's chieies'
lIeutenantD went down at Newcasue pe-
fore the groundswell Of Conservatism
and UnIopis,n, II became certain 'na' ms
Marty was utterly demoralized' IL u
,r,e that AsquIth another prominent
I,haro, leader managed. contrary 10 e1-
notation. TO rally sufficient support NJ
Fife TO pull through. and that the "''-
latham. Mr.. Gladstone's old SCAT
mains Liberal: but II is too late Tor 'hesc
s,ccesses TO have any appreciate erect
IN stopping the panic. The Tory infee-
,ion has spread to the country, ana the
ry,berals are getting no more consolation
.bere than I'm the boroughs.
PINT what else could have been ex-
pccted? Aside from what we may
corn, the disgust OF the British electo-
rate with the radical. yet impotent re-
cord on salient questions, and the iac-
tional fights Of the majority In Inc iast
r1ousa Of Commons. the Liberal party
went into the election contest WIN no
well-defined programme. The organiza-
ton. or. rather. DISCRIMINATION OF the
marty reflected the state OF affairs 'hat
had existed among its representatives, IN
the Commons It's most prominent ex-
moments on the stump. as we would say
in this country, were not agreed upon
any one Issue as the main one TO put for
ward.
Lord Rosebery Immediately after Clad
stone unloaded the party upon him
lodged the home-rue question in Parlia-
ment by declaring that home rule could
never be secured until England, the
preponderant partner" was converted TO
1T; and, upon going into the present cam
paign thrust the issue of reforming the
House of Lords to the fore. This, too,
in spite of the fact that the mass Of the
English voters seem, TO regard the Ii
beral crusade against the lords as little
more than a huge joke. Sir William YER
non Harcourt has sought to make the
local-option bin the dominant question:
Mr.. Morley has chung TO home rule as
the PRINCIPAL plank in the Liberal plat
form, and minor lights OF the party have
added 10 the confusion by endeavoring
TO give first place to Welsh disestablish-
ment, etc Furthermore, as CONDITION
contributing TO stimulate the widespread
dissatisfaction with the Liberals, ana
desire for a thorough change, the Irish
auxliaries Of the Liberal party are at
odds among themselves as to what they
want.
Under these circumstances " was
not necessary for the Conservatives and
I'nionists to formulate regular cleo
tion-programme. The blunders or the
Gladstone Rosebery regime constituted all
the platform they needed. Their leaders
have taken the position that If, perchance,
the House OF Lords Is TO be reformed at
all. IT must be reformed consttutionally
and conservatively. and they made no
mistake in believing that the majority OF
the British electors were with them. AS
10 home rule. they have turned Rose
bery's admission to good account and.
touching tne lOCdl-OpihlOH bHi' wv ~"
scheme of taxation. they have played
trump-card by interpreting it as an In
fringement Of personal liberty and an
interference with the vested rights OF the
publicans, Mr.. GoscheD succinctly but
comprehensively outlived the plan OF at
tack upon that measure when he said
that Il was called a local-option bill.
but II was a bill that would leave GER
tain classes in the full enjoyment OF their
wishes as regarded alcohol. while It would
refuse to a vast number of other persons
that access to legitimate refreshment
which might fairly be demanded by all
classes of the community.
The conclusion of the whole matter Is
that an overwhelming majority or the
British voters have endorsed the lords in
exercising their constitutional preroga-
tive. and have united In vindcating Sails
bury. The policy Of the Liberal Govern
ment, except in respect Of questions al
fecting foreign relations-and In this mat
ter Rorebery was more of Conservative
than a Liberal-has been utterly repudi-
ated. and the chances are that the Tories
will continue in power for the constitu-
tional term Of Parliament.