The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-16
The Leadership Of the British Liberals

Sir WILLIAM VERNON HARcouRr's resig-
nation of the leadership of his party in the
House of Commons is the latest incident in
the chapter Of intrigue and dissension which
has discredited the recent history of the
British Liberal organization. If we recall
the preceding Incidents we may be the bet
ter able to forecast the effect Of his resigna-
ton on the fortunes OF the Liberal party
n on its future relations to the Irish Ma
tionalists.
The general election OF 1892 resulted, it
will be remembered, In the return of Mr..
GLADSTONE to power, backed by a majority
of forty in the House of Commons, to
which, however, nine votes were contributed
by the Parnellites, Of whom Mr.. JOHN E.
REDMOND was and Is the leader. So long
as this majority OF forty could be kept sub
stantially intact. the hold Of the Liberal
party upon the House Of Commons was,
OF course, mistaken, and Mr.. GLADSTONE
experienced no great difficulty in carrying
the second Home Rule bill through that
body. 1t Is now an open secret, however.
that after the rejection Of that measure by
b Upper House, a cabal was organized in
the Cabinet for the purpose Of ousting the
veteran chief and superseding him by
LORD RosEBERY. The plot succeeded. Mr..
GLADSTONE resigned. Scarcely, however,
had Lord RosEBERY assumed the head
ship OF the Liberal party than in a
memorable speech he took ground which
cost him the support Of the nine Parnellites,
discouraged also the rank and file of the
Rnti-Parnellite faction, and estranged those
British Liberals who were sincerely de-
sirous OF giving home rule to Ireland. 1t
was not enough. he said, that at a general
election the United Kingdom, considered as
q whole, should return to the House of
Commons a majority favorable to home
rule; q measure to that end would never
be enacted until the assent OF the "pre-
dominant partner" that is to say, of Eng
land proper, should also be secured. This
assertion was generally recognized as post
poning the triumph Of home rule to the
Greek kalends.
The effect Of this ominous declaration was
that at a critical conjuncture in 1895 the
nine Parnellites deserted and were Joined
ny a sufncient number OF Radicals to over
throw the Rosebery Government. The
outcome OF the general election, which en-
sued was the restoration of the Unionists
TO power by m overwhelming majority.
The responsibility for the almost unpar-
alleled rout of the Liberals rested proba-
bly,, in some degree, upon Sir WILLIAM
HARooURT, who had insisted upon MAX
ing local option the principal issue of the
canvass, 50 far as he was personally con-
cerned, but it was generally imputed to
Lord RosEBERY, who accordingly resigned
the leadership of the Liberal party. 1t was
thereupon decided alta council of influential
Liberals that the official headship of the
party should be put, so to speak, into COM
mission, and that while Sir WILLIAM HAIR
COURT should conduct the Liberal oppo-
sltlon in the House of Commons, Lord
KIMBERLEY should be its spokesman in the
House of Lords. Such has been tho regime
under which the Liberals have acted during
the last three years. Nominally the man
agement has been dual, but practically Sir
WILLIAM HARooURT, through the greaterim-
portance of his position, has been dominant.
1t cannot be denied that Sir WILLIAM has
failed to give satisfaction, not only TO the
faction always friendly to Lord RosE-
Berry, but also to any neutral members of
his party who care less for persons than