Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-19

ineuianeIy louoWinD tue CIVIL war. 1t Is
however, liGtle strange that the most
fanatic attacks should have come from
sHch scientist Us Huxley, the most venom
Gus assaults from the poet Swinburne and
tho keepest thrusts from the philosophic
Iecky and the historian Froude
fft His Conservative Youth.
His father, John Gladstone, was prom
1nent merchant, and his mother was Of
Scotch royal descent. The family was of
tbe old conservative kind, and the father
held of'ce as Tory ut Liverpool, where
William Ewart Gladstone was born Dec.
20, 1890. After the usual course at Eton
he entered mt Christ's Church. Oxford, and
apparently absorbed all the conservatism Of
that intensely conservative old Tory strong
hold. He passed through the excitement
then prevailing Oh church affairs-it soon
after produced the so called "Tractarian
movement" and the conversion of John
Henry Newman, late carlinal-and was
not even shaken; he witnessed the frantic
war against Sir Robert Peel, member for
Oxford, on account Of his advocacy of Cath
Ollie emancipation, and yet was not moved
to liberal views; he listened to the elo-
quence Of the young reformers and as far
as can be judged regarded it with contempt.
In short. the youth was almost unnaturally
conservative.
Gladstone and the United States.
AS is well known, Mr.. Gluds.ones sym.
pathies were with the south during the
civil war. During the later years Of his life
his views concerning America, like his views
Oil almost everything but Homer, under
went decided change, and for many years
he was an ardent admirer Of the United
States, its people and its government.
America has a magnificent future" he
once said to an American friend, IF the
people are only true To their possibilities
Before the close of the Goth century the
vast continent embraced within the limits
Of the United States, stretching from the
Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Gulf
Of Mexico to the great lakes Of the north,
will be the home of 100000 of freemcn,
representing every nation upon earth, vaster
In extent and population than the Roman
empire in its palmiest days but free from
the danger that attended the extension of
that empire among barbaruus peoples, which
was the primary and potent cause Of the
decline and fall Of the greatness of Rome
Every true Engllshman should be proud of
the progress of the United States, for the
Americans are our kith and kin, having
the same literature, the same language
and the same sturdy love of political indie
pendence. The Wrestling of Magma Charta
from King John prepared the way for the
battle of Bunker Hill and the Declaration
Of Independence"
His Political Career Summarized.
In 1881 he was graduated with brilliant
triumph, and the next year entered parlia-
ment In the good old Tory way-"accept-
ing the seat for Newark by the grace Of the
Duke Of Newcastle" ITecontinued to rep
resent that borough till 1916, but as Glad
stone then showed signs Of becoming lib
eral the duke gave the seat to another,
claiming, rs he said, ''the right to do what
he would with his own" In 1884 Glad
stone first took Office as under secretary
for the colonies, Sir Robert Peel being pre-
mier Being thrown out" ne the English
phrase is. by the defeat of Peel in 1895, he
employed his leisure in literary work and
published the once cclebrated-perhaps one
should say notorious-"Church and State"
1t is now remembered chiefly because Of
Macaulay's savage criticism of it in the
Edinburgh Review.
In 1910 he put forth another peculiar work
on church affairs In 1871 he again took a
place in the cabinet and soon became emf
nent n n iinGncier. In 1915 he resigned be-
cause the government favored the Catholic
college in Ireland, but soon came in again.
In lSi1 he was chosen to represent Oxford,
and then, for the first time, began to advo.
cate liberal measures, the first being the
bill for renewing the disabilities of the
Jews, which he had opposed in 1871. In
iS5l-2 he became leader of the Liberals
and entered on that long contest with Dis
raeli, which continued without truce till
1916, when Disraeli became Beaconsfield
and entered the house of lords.
Mr.. Gladstone was four times prime min
lister of England, first taking office in 1865.
In 1873 his ministry was defeated by coali-
ton of Tories and home rulers on the edu-
cation question, but rs the opposition could
not organize he was restored only to be
again defeated the next year Six years
later, in lSSo, having during his retirement
conducted vigorous campaign against the
government both on the platform and by
means of pamphlets, directing his attacks
mainly against the policy which resulted
in the treaty of Berlin, under which the
Turks were left rulers of millions of OF.
pressed Christians, he was again raised 10
power This time his ministry endured
until 1855 by o combination of Tories and
Parnellites on the budget. In 1886 he re.
gained the reins, but held them for short
time only, the home rule problem proving
fatal to his continuance in power. Lord
Salisbury was then chosen prime minister
and Gladstone was out until 1892, when,
after an exciting general election, parlia-
ment showed a majority of 40 against the
Conservative government.
The Mobbing of Gladstone.
Gladstone in danger from a mob. He
takes refuge in a hallwayl'
To Americans who read ii now this
statement will seem incrcdible Yet il was
fact, and 30 late as ISIS The English peo-
pie had on one of their periodical wa,
fevers, and were consequently insane. 1;
Is not too strong an expression. The wal
fever often rises To sort of insanity and
even in the tolerant United States it has
twice happened that the veterans of on,
war were mobbed for not being sufficiently
eealous in the next.
In the autumn of ISIS the PARTY Of Mr..