The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-02-14
ROSEBERY'S PERIL

On recent vote in the House of Com
mons the government had the slender
majority of twelve. The majority of forty
| has dwindled down to that number This
results from actual loss of seats, and not
from detection, for there is more straight
voting in the House of Commons than in
| either branch of our Congress.
| The government of Rosebery has to
! depend upon the Irish members for a
majority. and unless it favors an Irish
policy that suits them, the Liberals will
be considerably in the minority. The
| English members of the Commons are
| largely against the pretended policy of the
Liberals. There is no use in attempting
any Irish legislation unless the majority
of the English members favor it, for the
House of Lords will not consent and
without the government is sustained by
the English members, move to disestab-
lish the House of Lords dare not be I'M
dertaken.
The Queens address is always Just
what is written for her by the Prime
Minister and it must be admitted that
her late speech is very pointless and
tame affair. Judging from it, the Min
istry will have no measure of Importance
to present. The liberal policy is as point
less as the Queen speech. That will hard
ly satisfy the restless Irish members, who
are not entirely agreed among themselves.
Lord Rosebery has very little prestige,
though he made a fair reputation as For
eign Secretary in Gladstone's Cabinet and
should Parliament be dissolved, he will
not have the enthusiastic following of his
predecessor, nor even the active aid of
Gladstone in the campaign. There is no
great question which is to go to the coun-
try, exc ept Irish home rule, and interest
in that seems to be tagging.
1t is always easier to find fault and OBJ
ject than to defend a policy, and there
fore the opposition will have the advan-
tage before the people. 1t is difficult to
understand what aggressive policy the
Liberals will have. If they have none
while in control of the government they
can have none before the people. The
Conservatives now have none but fault
finding tactics, because the government
will go before the country for indorse-
ment. The opposition will have the adj
vantage of being led by ADLER men. Bal
four is a man of more brain power and
political tact than Rosebery, and he will
be better supported. If the vote on the
motion of Mr.. Redmond to amend the
Queens speech or any other vote in adj
verse criticism of the government is car
red a dissolution of Parliament is inev-
liable under the British constitution.
The sympathies of the American people
have been with the Liberals ON the Irish
question, but the success of the Unionists
or Conservatives may be better for this
country. Balfour, the opposition leader
in the Commons, is very nearly COM
mitted to the use of silver as an interna-
tional money, and if free silver coinage in
this country is to- be postponed till
European nations consent, the outlook is
much move favorable with the Conserva-
tives in power than with the Liberals
Lord Salisbury, the former Prime Minis
ter of the Conservative government, is
not up to the John Stuart Mill theory
in economics, but is rather adverse, at
least such were the views expressed by
him in his speeches few years ago. and
such is understood to be the position of
Balfour, who, should the Conservatives
succeed, will certainly be Chancellor of
the Exchequer if not Prime Minister.