The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-08-26

Es.tfN ~ ~ - 'N"'
Parliamentary machine has bsen found
to work most bu-iiy. Again, ID h a Par
amen la which tbs Government has
a very large majority. That majority
has been used tn increase the s~tringcncy
OF procedure. and to reduce tho oppor.
tunities for non-GovernmeDt business, To
a degree hitherto unknown. Never had
a Government fuller opportunities. Never
has a Government produced 81 little re
suit from them. IL took practically all
the time Of the HOUSE. Yet at every stage
Il pleaded that II had no time.
What are the reasons for the legisla-
tive barrenness. and the scamping Of the
estimates which have thus mark.d the
s>s-ionf The answer which IN generally
given IL obvious. Parliament las been
~prcoccupisd with the war. and with the
financial matters arising out Of the war.
Another feature Of tho session y. how
ever. even more obvious n perhaps less
contentious. II IL the absence Of vigorous
O and the presence Of tad manage
mont Ia the heads Of the Ministry. After
all IL 1. the bad workman who u the first
to complain Of his tcols. And = would be
futile TO pretend that Mr.. Balfour u n good
IhtlA aAflf NAa NaN AAttaA ~ -" -
say that Lord Salisbury IL full! of driving
power. The Primo Minister, 20 do him
Justice never makes any such pre'ence.
When he Is not lamenting that The times are
out of Joint he u explaining la W. have
To swim with he tide"
On the all ab-orbing question OF the var
Mr.. C~hambcriain's midland organ. the
Birmingham Pos. declares with perfect
candor:
This subject has been kept fresh in the
public mind from day 10 day. Parliament
leaves Il at the end Of the session just where
Il found IL. 80 far a. political feeling is con-
cerned. To all intents and purposes. po-
litiosl parties stand, In relation To the war,
just where they did before b general cleo
ton twelve months GO; and what h true
Of ths House on Commons l. equally true
Of the country generally. There i- no evil
dence Of any process Of conversion In either
direction. This Is. perhaps. the most
notable feature OF the situation.
Perhaps even more remarkable In the
eyes Of the outside world is the complscence
with which the gigantic outlay Of public
money IL faced. TIN same paper notes
that the growth Of expenditure during the
past two years must be considered a. one
of the most important matters which can
engage public attention. The first year of
the twentieth century has seen an estimated
expenditure falling little short Of two hun
dred millions. and tho most remarkable
thing about IL II that. such Is the general
prosperity Of the country, there Is no really
serious opposition to it. nor can any party
or politician claim tho public ear GU the
one question Of economy. And. 80 far A. the
session Just at an end Is concerned, the once
almost sacred principle Of economy NAV ss
well have been banished To the moor A.
a dead science II might we'll lie buried IN
an extinct volcano.
The Official Liberal party II left with only
two supporters Of consequence In the British
press. the Manchester Guardian and The
London Daily Nsus. or these the 6adrdiGA.
although a provincial journal. l. 10y far
the more influential. IL finds la booking
zach over the session grounds for p--~imism
as to the future 81 Parliamentary Govern
ment in England. Dealing with the re-
peat ed Use OF the closure by Mr.. Balfour
as his only means Of securing the passage
Of Government measures. tbs Guardian
declares:
Unless there IL a speedy reaction We
appear TO be- moving In the direction OF 4
very serious change In our Constitutions
change which will make has been 4
great deliberative assembly a mere body
Of delegates who will register the DEGREES
OF the Executive Government for the time
being. Such a change. which II naturally
fostersd by the exigencles OF milita1sm
and the attendant decay Of interest in In
ternAl reform, would be without doubt a
great setback 10 true democratic progress,
but Il would be idle TO deny that " Is favored
by many circumstances Of contemporary
politics.
The check to this tendency would under
happier circumstances come from the
Liberal party. But the Liberal party has
not yet achieved the condition in which IL
can become an effective Opposition.
The last assertion Is ~abundsntly true,
and Il the chief complaint % Mr.. ". W.
M~sssinRham. tho most energetic 81 the
anti-war Radical journalists. He writes
in his review 81 the session In to-day's
Daily Nsus:
The session il practically at an end. Tie
play j. over What Of it, moral. and ofNhe
actors, A. critic | find myself In a din
Guilty. I cannot follow the thread on which
its most meaning Incidents are hung without
adding To the trouble and confusion that
have befsllen Parliamentary Liberalism.
Yet what Is the use Of telling half truthsi
II the Parliamentary situation can ever
he bettercd from within. a might counsel
patience and oblivion of all that Liberals
nave suffered. not at the enemy's bur al
each others hands. but IL IL clear that
hitter the A-quith dinner and the failure Of
the Reform Club truce. no cure for Liberal
ailments can come from within The House
Of Commons II must arise from without
n the people dosire the name and faith
Of Mr.. Gladstone Il perish, Il thew want
n new creed or rather II theY want snInn