St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-21
THE BRITON,s TONE.

shortcomings, to find that some
body else is no better than himself.
Yet this has been the commonest re-
tort in argument, and the knock
down blow that has given defeat to
the adversary for many ages, and
probably will continue so for many
more to come. 1t is one that is in
place, moreover, in referring to the
course of political events in Great
Britain. The Englishman has always
affected a~fine disdain for American
politics. He is not to be brought to
admit that any good thing can come
out of democracy. He refers con-
stantly to the corruption and law
lessness of American political con-
tests, speaking of them as the neces-
sary and natural fruits of a repub-
lican system of government. This
being the case, it is a fair rejoinder
to say that the pending election in
Great Britain is one of the most
thoroughly discreditable, both in it's
methods and it's results, that has
been held. In our lowest estate,
nothing has been seen in the United
States that could be compared to
it without discredit.
The English have never abandoned
their brutal customs during political
campaigns and at the polling booths
1t would be impossible for anything
to happen in the United States, with
out lynching bee, like the pelting
of Sir William Vernon Harcourt and
his wife with decayed vegetables
and other filth while on the public
platform, so that one or both of
them were severely injured. An
other candidate for parliament,
when getting the worst of it in de-
bate, enforced his position by knock
ing down an obdurate elector. Sim
liar outrageS where the victims
were less prominent are too numer-
Gus to mention. The coarseSt cpl
thets have been hurled back and
forth by opposing candidates. In
another electioneering party one
young lady had her head cut open by
a flying missile. Such brutal Incl
dents are the most common and
ordinary accomplishments of the En-
glish political campaign.
Nor is there any secret made of the
cause of the great detection from
the Liberal to the Tory cause 1t is
attributable in a small degree to
the weakness of Liberal leadership,
but to a very much larger extent
it is due to the solid desertion of
the liquor interest to the Tory ranks.
The keeper of the public house in
Great Britain has what is consid-
cred vested right. If his liberty
to sell spirits is interfered with in
any way, he claims compensation
from the state. 1t was understood
that the Liberal programme con-
templated granting local option. If
this were done, each community
would have right to say for itself
how the sale of intoXicants should
be regulated, and the publican would
be without pecuniary remedy. The
Tories have always admitted the
entitled to compensation if inter-
fered with, just as much as the prop
erty owner whose land was taken
| for public purposes. 1t is said that
on this basis the saloon interest in
| the city of London was arrayed
solidly on the side Of the Conserv-
| they would have been in the major
| ity in any event, their signal success
| is due in great measure to their posi-
| ton on the liquor question.
| Another feature which shows that
| the British voter is no more dis
| eliminating than the, American is
the defeat of Liberal candidates who
are, without question of their party
relations, among the most eminent
| statesmen in the empire, and whose
| services the people cannot afford to
dispense with. Two illustrations
of this are Sir William Harcourt and
Mr.. Morley. Whatever man may
think Of their politics, any constit-
uency might be proud to be repre-
sented by either of these gentlemen,
who are immeasurably above the
! candidates that scored the higher
| vote, in point of character and pub
lie worth. 1t is one advantage of
| the British system that they need
! not necessarily be excluded from
! parliament by their reverses, since
candidate defeated in one dis
| trict may afterward present himself
to the suffrage of the people in an
| other. But the fact is made clear to-
every observer that this election in
| Great Britain has been conducted.
on plan, and it's results have been
| determined by influences on the low
est level of the worst age of Amer
lean politics. The people of Great
| Britain will presently learn what
every country must be made to I'M
| derstand by sad experience, that in
situations play less important part
in the progress of country than the