The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-09

IN parliament as their representative
anu was without a seat in parliament
when the corn laws We're finally re-
pealed. Peel's government fell, on the
irish coercion bill, and Russell be-
came premier. Mr. Gladstone was
now elected representative for Oxford
university, distinguished honor which
he thoroughly appreciated.
The death of Peel in 1850 was blow
to Mr.. Gladstone. for with his death a
close friend and helper passed away
Between 1850 and 1851 Mr.. Gladstone
made a second visit to Italy for the
health of his daughter, and while there
visited the prisons of Naples with a
view to find out their condition and as
certain what improvements might De
made. The result of this investigation
was the writing of those famous letters
to Lord Aberdeen which give us Such
a clear statement as to their condition
at this time and the need of reform.
Mr.. Gladstone became a member or
the coalition cabinet formed in 1881
under Lord Aberdeen, which defed the
Tories for seven years and prosecuted
the Crimean wars to the end. He was
not in favor of the war, his motto be-
ing peace when possible; war when I'M
avoidable and he did not believe 1t
necessary to go to war in this case
During this term Gladstone showed MS
great superiority as a financier and MS
ability to obtain money from the peo-
Pile without dissatisfaction lay In the
fact that he could show them their
need. His general aim was to remove
those taxes oppressive to the middle
classes and develop the industries and
resources of the nation, and by TINS
means to make the nation richer and
more prosperous, while it felt the
burden of supplying needed money
less. Shortly after the change in min
i-f,,, l.
merston, Mr.. Gladstone announced his
conversion to free trade and resigned
his position as chancellor. This CONVEX
sion was the result of conscientious
study of the mutual relations of tax
alton, production and commerce, which
convinced him that national prosperity
was to be obtained by freedom of en-
deavor. The conservatives held the
power from '5S to SO. but were then
succeeded to the coalition cabinet I'M
der Palmerston, with Mr.. Gladstone as
chancellor. By the publication of ms
Homer and the Homeric Age Glad
stone acquired a prominence in liter
airy circles as well as political. He
wrote the book to pass away his leisure
hours and incite students to closer
study of Homers works, a writer Tor
whom his admiration seemed unbound
ed, and we need not be surprised when
we remember the great love he had for
Greece, her people, nef idlls uaSe anu
her literature. In connection with the
civil war in this country Mr.. Gladstone
took a position which not only sur
prised but grieved his friends in Amer
lea, for in no country was ne
held in higher esteem than In
this While chancellor in 1862
he made a speech in which he declared
his belief that Jefferson had already 2s-
tablished the freedom of the Confeder-
ate states. He supported the bill for
the increase of parliamentary franchise
in GA and deplored the unsatisfactory
condition of the Irish church, that is,
the Church of England in Ireland,
which was supported by Irish taxes
but ministered to only about one ninth
of the population. At the next election
the university failed to return him, but
he was soon after elected member
for South Lancashire, a manufacturing
district.
The death of Palmerston brought
Russell to the premiership and Glad
stone to his old position. He attempted
to pass a bill for the abolition of com
| pulsory church taxes in aid of dissent
Continued on Page Six.)