The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-12
WHAT ENGLISH
ELECTION MEANS
WoolWich Election Marks In
crease in CoIleCtiviSm.
BAlF0UR ON THE DECLINE
Great Changes in Political
Aspect of England.
BAlF0UR ON THE DECLINE

permanent Their momentary Significance
lies in the evidence they afford of the
waning popularity and declining strength
Of Mr. Balfour's cabinet. 1t is easy
enough 10 make too much of bye-elec-
tons. but it is also easy TO underrate
their import The safe rule for an OBJ
Server who wishes merely to ascertain
the truth, is TO pay no attention TO the
\ minor considerations, such as the chaTac-
ter of adreitness Of particular candidates.
local circumstances, and the like. These
things, of course. influence every election,
and tel for more than their Intrinsic
worth upon bye-elections. But since these
special circumstances must. from the ma
ture of things. favor now the government
and now the Opposition. and on the aver
age favor each pretty equally. they may
be set aside. The rejection of a candidate
must be counted as j substantial defeat,
or his success as a substantial victory,
for the party 10 which he belongs. At
tention, extending now over twenty years
TO the result Of electoral contests, has
convinced one that this is the safe rule
and that when a set of bye-elections tend
IN one direction, they afford a fair index
TO the trend OF public opinion. Personally.
I
that. at the present moment, the popu-
larity OF the ministry and of the party
which the ministers lead, is on the de-
cline. It is. however, possible that their
popularity may be renewed either by the
exercise Of statesmanike skill. or by oc-
currences which Il is now possible to
foresee. What makes this state of things
the more serious for the Unionists is that
the Irish land bin viii. whatever its mer-
its or its dement's. assuredly not add 10
the strength Of the cabinet. The pro-
posed land act VII certainly impose ad-
Gitional pecuniary liabilities on England,
and this al moment when Englishmen
feel that the burden of taxation is all
ready heavy.
Let il be added, before quitting the i'm
mediate and transitOry aspect of the re-
cent elections. that no one can be sure
what viii be the exact result Of a loss ot
credit on the part OF the cabinet. We
must put it side by side with the pres
tige acquired at any rate Tor the mo-
ment, by Nh. Chamberlain. He has be-
come the most prominent member of mis-
party; his rise To q leading position has
been, If you take his whole career, slow,
but has been uniform. He has all bat
passed from the position of a distinguish
ed party leader into the position of a
national statesman. This transition. or
transformation. which is traceable in the
life of every man who has come to the
first rank in English politics. is hard 10
define. bat easy 70 perceive. Men past
middle life, whose memory carries them
back. say, TO Is4S, and who. bordering
1 Dol nd
remembering how a man who was at
one time the hero in foreign politics of a
Certain type Of English Radicals. became,
in his later days, the favorite of the ma
ton. with note points of resemblance be-
tween the political fortunes of Palmer
ston and Of Chamberlain. From these
matters, however. which. after all, refer
mainly to the ups and downs of party
conflicts. and. while they excite much at
tention for the moment. are soon abso-
luteIy forgotten. ii is Wen TO turn to the
permanent Importance OF electoral con-
tests which appear at first sight TO he
determined simply by the chances Of
party welfare
How great may be the essential i'm
portance Of even a single election, may
be seen from a careful consideration OF
the victory achieved by Mr.. Crooks at
woolwich His triumph. We are told, ard
probably with truth. was due in part
10 personal qualities; he was the sort of
man. it is intimated. whom the electors
liked. But this explanation Of Mr..
Crooks success sends US back TO the
question what was there in Mr.. Crooks
that pleased the electors? The reasonable
answer. as far as an outside critic may
venture on q conjecture, is that the con-
sdence Of the artisans was gained by
.heir being convinced that Mr.. Crooks
was q man Of vigor and Of character. who
would perform the part OF a genuine
labor candidate. and support the policy
and the legislation which the large class
of wage-earners are. whether rightly or
not. convinced viii contribute TO their
prosperity. Mr.. Crooks apparently was
returned TO Parliament just because he is
TO use the language Of hfty years ago.
Socialist. or. TO use the political slang of
TODAY. a Conectiouist Ii is very probs-
bic that he holds no cut-and-dried eco
nomicai or political doctrine. but it Is
certain that he will support all measures
BY which the power and the wealth Of the
state are used for the supposed benefit
give them comforts, in the way Of high
wages or Of cheap houses. that wage
earners gould not. they conceive. obtain
without some sort o. state help.
That the Woolwich election marks the
Increasing influence Of Couecifvism. and
that 1t is the sign that English politicians
may at no distant date have TO take a.
count OF the power exercised by an o.
ganized labor party. is made probable
b. several considerations. Mr.. Crooks
Tnionist opponent was not The most ju-
dicious or tactful Of candidates II com
mon rep0rr-sr eaks the truth. he tried 70
gain the vote of the working classes by
promises Of prophesies that a Cnlonist
Ministry would give more employment 4
workingruen IN the dockya9ds and in th4
other government establishments than
would q Liberal Government. II such
hopes were really held out. PATRIOTS
critic may whatever his POLITICS. feel
some satisfaction at their failure 10 at
tain their end. IN any case. it is note
worthy that the Socialism OF Mr. Crooks
seems 10 haze been met by appeals 10
the class interest OF artisans and this is
surely a tribute OF an iminous kind TO
the political power OF workingmeu. who
are Influenced. II not by theories. yet u
ideas. akin 70 Socialism.
Consider. again. the effect Of bill
which. almost at the very date OF the
election at Woolwich. passed through tfe
House OF Commons. II is termed the Out
~oor Relief GHriendly Societles] Act 1913,