The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-30
THE ENGLISH ELECTIONS
Alarm of the Unionist Leaders
Over Party Apathy.
The Danger to the Ministerinlists
Arising More From Criticism
within Their own Ranks Than
From the Opposition Attacks
Fears of Reduced Majority.
cspeeial cablegram-cepvrighted.l }


LONDON. Sept. 29.-Interest in the gen
eral election has increased somewhat the
past week, or rather 1t has come into ex-
istence. Unionist leaders have taken Sc
rious alarm at the apathy throughout the
party and are adopting energetic meas
ures to secure adequate representation at
the polls.
The factors In opposition to the present
Government are stronger in its own'ranks
than among the Liberals. 1t is the rank
and file of the Conservative party which
must pay for the terrible mistakes Gnd
military shortcomings in South Africa. 1t
is not seriously feared that these critics
and malcontents within the party will
vote with the Liberals, which might in
volve the stigma of little Englandism,"
but there is reason to believe that thou
sands will give silent expression of their
disapproval by abstention from voting.
II this action is at all general ii will
easily cost the Government more than
hall its majority, thus intiicting a severe
moral defeat
Public and private appeals throughout
the country urge Lord Salisbury to make
some concession to this feeling within the
party Uy announcing the reorganization OF
the Cabinet after election. This would be
equivalent to demanding the withdrawal
from the War Office OF Lansdowne, who
much more than Chamberlain or any other
member of the Cabinet is the object of
UDionist criticism. The opposition, how
ever, especially of the Radical section, is
concenIl ting its attacks on the Colonial
Secretary, who is the most abused man IN
England. These assaults have silenced for
the time being his enemies among the To-
ries.
1t is more than doubtful if Lord Sails
bury, with his well-known cynicism, will
announce the sacrifice of Lansdowne. no
matter how serious the disaffection mani
Tested within the party. At the same time
ii is fully probable that Lsnsdowne will
not return to the war portfolio for the
Government cannot refuse radical reforms
IN the y ar Once, and the present Seere-
tarys incompetence is notorious.
There are few picturesqu personalities
in the campaign These are furnished by
John Dunn's fight in Battersea, Winston
ChCrchiHs in Oldham. and that of Captain
Lambton of the Powerful, who saved Lady
smith The latter is running on the Lib
eral ticket and is making slashing attacks
on the War Office, which is exasperating
the Cnionists
<AS lCE the revival OF Liberalism, II Is
significant that last niEht that persistent
enemy CT Mr. Chamberlain and Sir. cham
herlains Imperialism, Mr. James Bryce
tod MS Aberdeen constituents that he |
desired nothing more than to see l ord |
Rosebery again leading the Liberal party. |
He added that Lord Rosebery's late c l. |
leagues would be glad to have him back. |
but Lord hosebery. ence deserted, as he |
believes. Will not return until the party |
& GaHa naH Haaa ~nnN t-=Hz
him and pledges loyalty. He will rot |
again risk the leadership of the Y. hole |
party from the House of Lords with a |
hostile Sir William Hareourt attacking |
his flank in-the House of Comm ms VIII /
Sir William Hareourt fer the sake CT his |
party. come in or definitely stand aside? |
That is as pressing question with The |
Liberals as the exclusion CT the cid men |
and the cid methods IS with the Teries. /
All that the public knows is that Sir
William is pounding away before his
welsh constituent S as vigorously as e. er
against imperialists and all their ways.
including those imperialists who put The
Qualifying word liberal before their la
bel
Prof. Gcldwin Smith today intervenes
With manifesto from Toronto, and begs
the Liberals 10 come to an amieable ar
rangement and save the cause from total
wreck. in order that British liberty and the
interests OF labor be not sacrificed IA,
khakism. As for Ireland-home rule has
no real place in these English or Scottish
elections. hut though politicians here are
too much COL armed with other things 10
see 1t, all thig would be changed il tno
Nationalists should go back TO Westmin-
ster as united Irish Parliamentary party
Friends OF NationaIism here say that
this is the probable outcome of the elec-
ton, despite that they call the eccentri-
cities Of Tim" Healy. Il is. indeed quite
possible that Nationalism will in the new
Parliament be in position once again TO
dictate terms TO Toryism or Liberalism. as
the case may be-
Even literature has gone over to politics
for the moment. for never before have so
many writers sought the favor of the cleo
forate. Anthony Hope has been compelled
by iu-health TO withdraw at the last mo-
me2t from his candidature as a Liberal in
the Falkirk Burghs. but Dr. Conan Doyle
makes great stir as a Unionigt Candi-
date in Edinburgh, trying the imperialism
abroad with democracy at home tack. Mr..
J. NJ. Barrie also has dropped out at the
last moment, but Mr.. Augustine Birrell |
nils columns in the local papers daily with
his Radical pungeneies and epigranis In
Northeast Manchester. where he fights
Tory fossilism in the person of Sir James
Ferguson. Even the publishers have en-
tered the fray in the person OF Mr.. Long
man.
ENOuIRY DFTAvEn