The age-herald., 1901-10-27
EngHand's Worm
 Out Aristocracy
BY JUSTIN GREY.

If the diagnosis of the governmental situation in England which has been made by one of its ablest weekly jour nals, the Spectator, be correct, the long train of disasters that have befallen the Kingdom during the past two or three years, are solely attributable to the in- tellectual inability of the arlstocratic classes who are in control of affairs to cope with the problems presented to them. That journal. with truly admirable frank ness, declares that the aristocratic party, which assumes to itself sort of divine right to govern, is without brains. It holds that party responsible for the hu- initiation that has been visited upon the British name in South Africa, and for the pitable condition into which the country, in military point of view, is placed be- fore the world. Nor does 1t stop with this cutting criticism. Notice is served by 1t that as soon as ever the unhappy war comes to an end an accounting will be demanded by an indignant people, and that the knife of reform must be fearless ly and radically applied to system which is endangering the national life and the safety of the empire. The his toricaL fact is recalled that immediately after the Crimean war similar condition of affairs existed, and that the malad- ministration which characterized that period had to be eradieated.
 It Is not improbable that this indict- ment of the governing classes may hold in 1t the rumble of a revolution that in the near future will lead to sweeping changes In the British system. There can be no question that the ablest men in England today are excluded from parttci- patton In its affairs. Scarcely and one can obtain high public position that does not belong to the comparatively favored few, and to their followers and retainers go all the minor offices of every descrip ton. Nepotism is almost the rule every where, and where that roes not exist, social influence intervenes to corrupt and debauch the public service The military arm of the government Is the most ln- efficient in the whole world, and the re- cent attempts at reformation nave been lamentable failures. 1t has been conclu- sively shown that the whole system Is so bad that the work of regeneration Is next to impossible.
 What the British system needs is an infusion of new blood, a broadening and deepening of the structure on the basis of progressive and stalwart democracy. In this direction King Edward has the opportunity to play great part, but there Is nothing in his character to war rant the hope that he will be able to seize 1t and thereby bring the govern ment of his kingdom in line with the pro- gress of the century. He has no sympa- thy whatever with popular institutions, and detests all innovations likely to lessen his own importance or curtail the privileges of the nobles that revolve around him as a sort of royal sun. Were Salisbury. to go out of power tomorrow there is no probability that he would look outside that. to him, sacred circle to select new cint,ter. Never except un- der dire compulsion, would he summon man like Gladstone to his aid. That greatest of modern English statesmen was as objectionable to him as he was to the late Queen. Although as Prince of Wales he wisely never gave expression to the feeling. 1t Is well known that he detested the Gladstonian theories of gov ernment and regarded them as menace to the throne. As in the eighteenth cen- tury Toryiism lost the American colonies. so is the Bourborn Toryism of the present time likely to be equally calamitous to England. The events in South Africa have proved to the world that England Is practically at the mercy of her ene- mics. jhe has no army worthy of the name, and while her navy Is, on paper, the most formidable in the world, its eff ficiency as fighting machine remains to be tested. If England ever needed great statesman this is the time. But where Is he? Toryism has dwarfed the country intellectually and is fast reduc- ing 1t to the position of a second-rate power.