New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-07
" DISHING THE WHIGS."
ONEPARTY GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND
MIR. CHAMBERLAIN'S EXPEDIENTS
FOR CUTTING OFF THE LIBERALS
FROM FIGHTING GROUND


FROM FIGHTING GROUND.
London, May 26
The Liberal proposes; the Unionist Tory dis
poses. The last Liberal Government attempted
to deal with the question Of employers liability
for accidents, but when the Commons had
passed the measure after prolonged discussion,
line by line, the Lords interviewed with amend
ments which wrecked IT, The Commons are
now discussing in committee a more radical
measure introduced by Conservative Govern
ment. and when it has been forced through the
House the Lords will sanction 1t without
amendment If the Liberal Government had In
PRODUCED the same BILL the Lords would have
rejected It outright predatory legislation
destructive to established industries. Con-
servative Government produces it and the en-
ploying class is not defended in either House
The principle Of employers liability for acct
dents without reference to contrlbutory neGli-
gence or workmens responsibility. is accepted
without a protest from any quarter.
In like manner q Liberal or coalition majority
fresh from the general electorate carried
Home Rule hill for Ireland, and the House OF
Lords rejected ii. The present Cnlonist Gov
eminent has announced the Irish policy when
is to be carried out next year, and the ac-
quiescence Of both Houses Of Parliament is con-
fdently forecast by every journal which dis
cusses the question. There will be two meas
ures, one providing for large subvention
from the Imperial Treasury for the benefit or the
landlords and tenant-farmers, and the other for
reorganzing local government on a popular
basis and it Is probable that this legislation
will be anticipated within a few weeks by the
release Of the political prisoners who are now
serving out their sentences for dynamite ana
other outrages. If a Liberal Government had
voted large financial grant to Ireland or had
passed Local Government BILL the Lords would
have vetoed the action Of the Commons. II
the Liberal party had proclaimed general am
nesty for political prisoners. it would have been
accused Of sympathzing with detestaole out
RACES and revolutionary crime. The Unionist
Government boldly announces two or these
measures a year in advance. and will liberate
the political prisoners without protest
ONE-PARTY GOVERNMENT
The English system is ordinarily described as
party government. 1t would be more accurate
to speak of IT one-party government. The
Liberals might have the United Kingdom with
them as they did when the Home Rule Para-
ment was elected, but as the Lords were against
them there was veto upon legislation, whether
In the interest Of Ireland of the working
classes. The Conservatives alone can legslate
without let or hndrance. Their Irish policies
are not INSTRUCTED. Their compensation bills
may be more radical in principle. If also more
restricted in application, than the Liberal
schemes Of employers liability. but the Lords
will not reject them. One party is subjected 70
a system Of constitutional checks and balances
from which the other is released. The upper
House exercises a veto power upon legislation
when Liberals are in office and is silent when
there Is a Conservative Government of the day.
1t is one party government, and there would be
little progressive legislation under it II the old
Tory expelielt Of "dishing the Wings" were not
periodically employed.
The Employers Liability BILL which is now
under discussion in the Commons. illustrates this
old-time process The Liberals attempted to es-
tabsh a limited liability with a general applica-
ton to all trades and occupations but they failed
to do so because the Lords magnified the import
ance of a minor point and wantonly mutilated
the measure. The Conservatives have adopted
the radical principle that employers liable for
all accidents, whether they are guilty OF negii-
gence or otherwise, but have restricted the APP
plication Of II to certain trades. If the measure
lie enacted the principle will inevitably be ex-
tended to all trades and occupations. From this
point Of view II Is more radical bill than the
one framed by Mr. Asquith. which the Lords
vetoed by amendment II introduces the Ger
man principle that the employer must pay FOR all
workmens injuries. fatal or otherwise, caused by
accident. While the entire liability is saddled
upon the employer. there is no provision, as in
the German system, for securing the workmen
against insOlvent employers or limited liability
companies and in this respect I; may be neces-
sary for some future Parliament to complete this
rudilnentary measure of State Socialism Even
as it stands it makes a long advance upon Lib
eral legislation. thoroughly have the Tories
"dished the Wings"
THE NEW IRISH POLICY.
The Irish policy which has been announced
by NJ. Balfour is not more radical than the
Home Rule policy Of Mr. Gladstone. TO which
the Liberal party has been committed. for 1t does
not offer any promise Ct a separate Parliament in
Dublin. Still il is an effective method Of dish
ing the Wings by programm" which will dis
arm Nationalist opposition and strengthen the
Conservative party in Ireland. The last Liberal
Government appointed a royal commission, which
recently reported on the inequity Of the financial
relations Cf Ireland and Great Britain The
ConscrvatiV, Government at first rejected the
conclusions CT what it affected to regard as a
partisan commission, and there We're ominous
signs Of discomfort and dissatisfaction among
landlords as well as tenant farmers.
Mr. BalfOur has suddenly revealed a change OF
policy Large financial suDventions from the
imperial exchequer are promised next year and
with these recastng OF the Poor law and q
REORGANIZATION Of county and local admnstra-
ton on a bread and popular basis. Landlords
and occupiers are to be relieved simultaneously
from the burdens Of taxation, and the conditions
of local government will be transformed with the
co-operation Of all classes This is not legislat-
i've autonomy bat it is a large and comprehen-
sive system Of home rule with generous grant
from the Imperial Treasury behind It,
This policy Of the Unionisi Government has
been received with loud acclaim by the leaders
of the Irish factions and by the press Of the
island. /, is regarded with equal favor by land