The sun., 1905-08-20
sentimental grievance means a grievance
which Ii felt

v.
II Is In a chapter headed "The Climax
Of Liberalism that our author deals with
the Forster education BILL one OF the most
epoch making measures ever sanctioned
by the British Parliament. -The session Of
ls70.' We read, will always be famous
for the Establishment VI elementary edu-
cation as an imperative duty OF the State
in England How imperative the duty
Is had been proclaimed by Mill in 1s4s.
when he pointed out In his "Hrinciples OF
Political Economy" that there are certain
primary elements and means OF knowledge
which 1t Is in the highest degree desirable
that all human beings born into the com
munity should acquire during childhood.
II their parents, or those on whom they
depend, have the power Of comforting on
them this instruction and fail to do 1t. they
commit q double breach o. duty toward
the children themslves and toward the
members Of the community generally. who
are all liable to suffer seriously from the
consequences Of ignorance and want OF
education in their fellow citizens. 1t H.
therefore, an allowable exercise OF the
power Of government to impose on parents
the legal obligation OF elementary instruc-
tion to children" Since the extension OF
tho franchise In 1897 tho duty Of providing
elementary education had become OF tran
scendent Importance from public point OF
view. 1t is we'll known that the education
bill framed by Mr. Forster has been OF late
materially modified in respect OF the
encouragement given to denominationai
as distinguished from national or unsec-
tartan schools. At the time Of its intro
duction the bill was severely criticized on
two grounds The crucial problem, that OF
religious training, Mr. Forster solved by
leaving absolute discretion to the local
authorities, who might have any religion
taught, or no religion taught, as they
pleased. This was the first serious offense
that he gave to tho Secularists and mill
tant Dissenters. The second was his re-
fusal to adopt at once the principle OF uni
venal compulsion. Compulsion in any
form was denounced as -un-EnGlish'
by mon who secretly thought that eduoa-
ton was un-English too.
The Government, adopting a midtlle
course which had much to recommend 1t
in the necessities Of the day, proposed that
any school board should have the power.
but should not be bound to enforce the at
tendance OF any children between and ~
under q penalty OF five shillings upon the
parents. unless they could plead sickness
or unless there were no school within
mile Forster himself was in favor OF
absolute compulsion, but was overruled
by the Cabinet, 80 he had to defend
in the House Of Commons the opinion OF
others against his own. Even the modified
form of compulsion In the bill was subject
to a veto by either house OF Parliament
upon every compulsory bylaw. On the
whole, the Forster Education act Is pro-
nounoed great and comprehensive scheme.
but the curious fact il noted that much OF
the praise which it's author received came
from his political opponents. and much
Of the abuse from his political friends.
Our author tries to explain how Mr.. Forster
became distasteful to his fellow Radicals.
He recalls that, although the author Of the
Education bill had been praised by Mr..
Gladstone for his conciliatory demeanor
in the House of Commons. his demeanor
out Of the House was often the reverse OF
conoiliatory, and he sometimes talked az
il he had q monopoly OF public virtue.
Before the introduction Of the bill he had
said to Lord Shaftesbury, who made the
remark public. Il would rather have my
right hand cut of than lie the means Of
excluding the Bible from our day schools "
In our authors judgment, this sort OF
defamation helps neither a man nor P
cause. 1T is theatrical if not insincere.
and implies that honest opponents are little
better than knaves. If Forster's services
,hov,
and his reliance upon Conservative aid
was imputed to him as a crime the fault
was not wholly with the accuser. The
compliments. for which he certainly was
not responsible, showered upon him in
the House Of Lords did not increase his
popularity with the Radicals. and public
meeting of his constituents in Bradford,
after listening to his own defense Of him
self, carried vote Of oensure against him.
The American reader OF this history
naturally desires to see what the author
has to say about the Alabama case and
about the Treaty Of Washington. by which
the grievances Of the United States were
finally redressed. A separate chapter
Is devoted to the topic, but two references
to it will be found on earlier pages. 1t il
pointed out (p. 1l6) that Lord Russell,
both as Foreign Secretary and as Prime
Minister, had obstinately refused to let
the case Of the Alabama and other Con-
federate cruisers fitted up in England 60
before a court Of arbitration. Under the
Derby -Dsraeli Administration OF lsee-6s,
however, Lord Stanley. who did not share
his predecessors responsibility for the
Alabama's escape from Liverpool, showed
a truer patriotism and a higher wisdom.
Peroeiving the immense advantage Of
a restored friendship with the United
States and repudiating the idea that inter.
national justice could be at variance with
national honor. he expressed his perfect
willingness to lot the claim for damages
suffered by Federal shipping be submitted
to an impartial tribunal. Mr.. Paul attrib-
utes the failure Of Lord SANKEY'S nego-
A.