New-York tribune., 1895-07-21
AFTER THE CATACLYSM
TREMENDOUS UNIONIST GAINS
SCHEME OF TORY DEMO
CRATIC REFORM ACCEPTED.

THE BIRMINGHAM srATEsMAN's SHARE IN THD
v1croRY-pErEAr OF PROMINENT LIBERALS
GAINS OF THE REDMOND FAcTIoN-A SET
RACK FOR THE LABOR cAUsE-PRrNcE
FERDINAND AND sTAMBULOFF-THE
EIFFEI EPIsoDE-AMERIcANs IN
LoNDoN-srR HENRY IRvING's
Observation-Disclosures DE-
FENDs THE CORNELL
CREW
fBy cABLE TO THE TRIBUNE,
ronvyioht 1896 BY The Tribune Assoet1tioM
London. July 2O.-The old story about Noah'e
friend who thought 1t wouldn't be much OK
shower, after all. has been on many Liberal lips
this week Lord Salisbury Mr.. Baifour, Mr'
Chamberlain and all their relatives have been
in the ark with the full Unonist menagerie, ana
have been very comfortable. especially Mr.
Chamberlain, but the troubled waters outside
have been rising steadily over the despairng LIB
erals. No political party In England was ever
overwhelmed with more disastrous defeat; there
has been nothing like 1t for three generations.
All the great towns have turned against the LIB
erals and the counties have followed the bor'
oughs All the local Issues on which the party
leaders depended have been repudated. DERBY
has gone against the local veto; Welsh disestao-
lishment has been answered by Unionst gains IN
Cardiff, Pembroke and Swansea; the London pro-
gramme has produced remarkable turnover OF
Liberal votes to the Unionists; the democratic
Budget made no friends anywhere; Newcastle
rejects Home Rule in the person OF its chef Eng
sh advocate. Mr.. Morley; Lancashire, with its
Industrial hives, Is not more emphatic than the
agricultural shires in declaring against the New
castle Programme. The Unionst gains are not
confined to any section class or Industrial inter-
est the swing around OF the constituencies Is
general and independent Of local conditions It
has involved in some instances the turning OF
over 1000 votes in three years.
The result is stupendous that all partisan
attempts to explain 1t away are futile. Some
apologsts began by charging the working classes
with treachery the Irish factions with stupidity.
and local constituencies with ingratitude; but In
the face Of the general Generalization OF Liberal
voters. this is mere beating Of the air. Other
commentators assert that the party has been pun
iehed because It committed the fatal bunder OF
choosing a Peer to head the assault upon the
House OF Lords but the sight of the prostrate
form OF Sir William Harcourt outside the breast
works Of Derby does not give color to that as
sumption Another explanation tends to show
that the electors have not repudiated Liberal
principles but only condemned Liberal tactics:
but that Is too fine a distinction; modern democ-
racy does not split hairs in choosing between
parties Principles and tactics go together wheu
the sheep are divided from the goats In ma
tional election The bimetalsts also conten0
that their issue was of paramount Importance
and certainly 1t factor OF the result In Lam
cashire and other Industrial centres, although It
was less influential in the agricultural shires but
Il is plain that the general elections hHSS NOS
been carried on the currency question.
Sl.ns to< AA
that, with Mr. Gladstone in retirement, Mr.. Par
nell dead the Irish party rent with feuds. ana the
Liberal leaders unable to carry out the New
castle Programme and unwilling TO make an ag-
gressive fight against the Lords the people have
considered 1t necessary TO have a change and 10
give Mr. Chamberlain a chance to show what no
can do with his Tory Democracy. To this may
be added the fact that the Unionists had SUI
perior organization and all the money they need"
ed for a successful canvass; the Liberals lacked
lenders organizers, candidates and money. Tno
mortality among the Liberal leaders has been re.
markable seven official or semi i-oificlal members
OF the last Government have been already de-
feated There Is marked contrast between Sir
William Harcourts manner of accepting situa-
ton and Mr. Morey's retirement from Newcdsuo
before the Unionsts had finished Laughing over
his mlsfortunes. Sir William Harcourt was at
Tredegar fighting for the Welsh seat with MS
usual aggressiveness; Mr.. Jonn Morley In his
hour OF defeat thanked his followers for their de"
votion and zeal. praised his opponents Tor treat
ing him with fairness and courtesy. ana accepteo
his own fate like philosopher. Mr.. Arnold Nor
ley. Mr. Shaw -Lefevre Sir John HILBERT ana sF
r. j. Reed have all lost their places on the irohu
Opposition bench. An evening journal facetiousiy
suggests that Sir Augustus Harris may be willing
.,,I
their seats Mr. Asquith. Mr.. Campbell-Banner-
man and Mr.. Herbert Gladstone are saie-'he
last plucked like brand from the burning. MT.
Speaker Gully was also reelected despite 'he i"'
tervention OF Mr. Balfour.
Mr. Rider Haggard had a melancholy exper-
encc in East Norfolk. where he was defeated
after being mobbed by rioters who would have
been more congenally employed in the wiids OK
Zululand than In an election scramble OF peace
ful agricultural county Of England.
Exclusive of to-days pollings. the Unionst
gains are 63 equivalent to a majority OF ABOUT
100 with a probable majority OF l4O In the next
Parliament The current is running strongly mi
one direction and steadily increasing IN power \
1t is probable that their majority VIII exceed i-V
when the elections are closed Tnis majority
will release Lord Salisbury and Mr.. Baliour from
dependence upon Mr.. Chanberlain whose ponls-
cal aims and ambitions would have been better
served by less sweeping victory. While the
Liberals have been harassed three years with
small majority, the Unonists may be en'
barra ssed by having one so big as to be unman-
ageable.
II any Unionist leader can claim large snare
of the credit for the victory. 1t Is Mr.. Chamber
lain He prevented the passage OF Mr.. Glad
stones first Home Rule bill. organized the
Unionist coalition and held 1t together during
the present canvass. His scheme of Tory demo-
cratic reform has been accepted by the electors
as a practical substitute for the Newcastle pro-
gramme As a tactician and organizer he has
~. In, ENGLISH nnficS and the liberal