New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-21
TILE LIBERAL PROGRA NME.

The much-talkcd-of Newcastle Programme
Of the British Liberals of a few years ago IS
cast into the shade by the latest manifesto or
that party or at least OF Tint portion OF it COM
nriscd I'm the National Liberal Federation. This
last-named body has just held convention at
Derby, and has adopted proSramme-in
Yankee parlancc. platform--whlch, for thor
oughgoing Rad!caism, surpasses anything hith-
crto heard in that land OF steady politics. The
Conservatives Of to-day are probably further
advanced than the Liberals Of the last genera
ton The Liberals Of today would have been
reckoned rank Radicals thirty years ago. And
the Radicals Of the present, even those OK them
who still call themselves mere Liberals, as at
Derby, are what would once have been deemed
Anarchists, or madmcn. 1t almost battles Inn
agnation TO picture the reception this Derby
programme would have received Mt the middle
Of the present reign. Julian Harvey. the old
Chartist who died the other day, would have
hcstated to subscribe to all It's doctrines, though
the adoption OF them ar Derby probably re-
loccd his last days with the triumph Of potcn-
tial vindicatlon.
one man, one vote, was, of course reatilrmed.
So was adult manhood suffrage, with only
three months residential qualification. Tho
,onable demand. and the demand that The re-
oept OF temporary relief from the poor fund
shall not dlsqualfy voters Is not extreme from
the American point Of view. That all elections
shall be held on one and the same day Is n
good Yankee principle. The payment Of sala-
rics to Members OF Parliament is also in ac-
cord with the American system, but 1t would he
little short OF revolutionary In England. The
10 of
Lords IS proposal entirely revolutionary. X
would set Great Britain in the category now
occupied by Greece alone rs the only nation
governed by single legislative chamber. That
experiment would 90 far beyond any ever
seriously considered here and would send us
back TO the French Reign OF Terror for prccc-
dent not n particularly inspiring one II must
be confessed. Finally. II IS TO be observed that
this National Liberal Federation declared for
The extension of the Parliamentary franchise 10
women. Whether that includes the right Of
women to sit as members Is not definitely
stated. but tho Inevitable presumption IS that
i does In that case 1t means the most mo-
mentous revolution yet attempted in the affairs
II n great nation.
These arc the reforms which this representa-
tive body sets forth not merely as desirable,
hut as In their own words "lmpcratlycly need
ed rs n necessary preliminary to any real err
"of Radical reform" That characterization is
pathological. but IT'S purport is unmistakable.
These are the changes in the constitution which
the militant portion u the great party once led
by Mr. Gladstone intends TO work for and. II
possible 10 effect and even that not as n final
lty. bu, merely stepping stones to more start
ling changes. And so Important an organ OF
/ liberalism ns The London Daily News" stamps
them with It's approval. and hopes they and
especially the single chamber and woman suf
frase proposals, VIII speedily be realized AS
,uredly. nj this rate. FOR conservatism the world
will presently have 10 look 10 the American
Rcpub!ic. which once was hated and feared !
as the home and author OF all that was reyolu- |
uonary.