New-York tribune., 1900-11-10
SECTIONAL POLITICS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

The Parliamentary map of the United King
dom prepared by 1.-The Graphic" Of London
gives most interesting view, at a single glance,
Of the political complexion of the realm accord
ing to geographical lines. The Unionist divis
ions are colored blue and the Liberal, Radical
and Nationalist red Seeing how large q ma
Jority the Unionists have secured in the House
Of Commons, one might naturally expect to find
the map chiefly colored blue. But such is not the
case. On the contrary, more than half of the
map appears TO be red. This apparent paradox
is, however, easily explicable, when observe
how the colors are distributed. The red of the
Opposition lies chiefly on the shireS of sparse
population. the mountains of Wales, the Scot
tish Highlands and the agricultural regions of
Ireland, while most of the great centres of popu-
lation and the shires where population is most
dense are blue There are, of course, excep-
lions, but that is the general rule. Had the vot-
ing been by acres, the Government might have
been defeated; being by the dwellers upon the
acres it was victorious
The sectional distribution Of colors Is note
worthy. The Republicanism of NewEngland
and the Democracy of the Solid South are not
more marked here than the similar solidarity of
parts Of the United Kingdom. Ireland is almost
solidly Nationalist, save for a few divisions at
the northeast and two isolated seats near the
middle of the island. Even more complete is
the Opposition solidarity of Mr. Gladstone's
Gallant Little Wales" whose rugged area has
scarcely touch Of any hue but red. On the
other hand, the old Saxon shires from Kent to
Somerset and northward to Strathclyde, are
almost entirely Unionist Indeed, the ancient
realm Of Alfred is almost exactly defined in blue
that Is only here and there fecked with red
The rest of England is greatly mixed. a veri-
table patchwork Of contrasting colors But It is
noteworthy that there is an unbroken though
most irregular chain of red running up the cen.
tre Of the Kingdom, from Northampton to
northumberland. As for Scotland, once a
stronghold of Liberalism, It's hue is now largely
blue-one would hesitate to say which hue pre-
dominates. The southwestern shires are soIidly
blue. and those OF the east almost as soidy red,
and the great mountain shires are chiefly red
1t does not appear that there is any universal
significance in these distributions of color. There
Is significance, Of course in Ireland, which, de-
spite Mr. Balfour's killing with kindness" and
Mr.. Plunketts most practical benefcence re-
mains outwardly irreconcilable There is also
significance in the solidarity Of Wales, which
must now be regarded as the chief stronghold
Of Liberalism and Radicalism. Otherwise there
is little to be remarked save the predominance
or unfonist votes in the great cities. The map
OF London is a field Of blue, with a few red
spots. Birmingham Is all blue, and Liverpool
Manchester and Sheffield have only enough red
TO show the magnitude of the blue by contrast
Yet while Bradford is all blue HuddersheId is
req; and while Hartlepool is a red borough in a
blue county. just across the Tees Middlesbor
ougn Is blue borough in a red county On the
wnoie' there is fine mixing of politics in Eng