The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01

growing cause to dread compettorg-
and thence, OF course, she can raise no
revenue. AS for the income derivable
from duty on foodstuffs, 1t would either,
as we have often said, prove negligible,
30 far as the needs of the Treasury are
concerned, or, if large enough TO be Of
any substantial aid, it would render an
increase in the price OF bread unavoid-
able and then scenes OF tumult and dis
order such as England has not witnessed
since the Chartist riots would inevitably
follow. That is a distressing dilemma
from which Mr. CHAMBERLAIN s ingenuity
will never find loophole of escape.
The member from West Birmingham
has several times acknowledged that he
expected his proposal to be rejected on
the first appeal TO the constituencies.
But when will that appeal take placer
The statutory septennial term Of the
Parliament, the House Of Commons in
which was chosen in 1900, has yet some
two years to run, and until lately 1t
seemed probable that Mr.. CHAMBERLAIN
would wish to postpone as long as posi-
BILE the next general election, in order TO
give himself time to impress his ideas
upon the voters. A recent incident has
disclosed, however, that his health Is
seriously impaired and that he has no
time TO spare if with his own eyes he
would witness the triumph of his prefer
entail policy. There is no doubt that
through his large following in the House
Of Commons and through his capture
Of the Liberal Unionist organization he
could at any time exert such pressure
upon the wavering Premier, BALFoUR, as
would necessitate an early dissolution OF
Parliament. He will probably use his
power, and in that event we may look
forward to defeat Of the present Gov
eminent at the ballot box, although it
had four years ago the phenomenal ma
jority of about $50 over all opponents
combined. AS to the defeat, the political
prophets are agreed, but as to its pro-
portions they are widely at variance.
Can the Liberals hope to secure a work.
ing majority over Unionists and Home
Rulers combined, or will they be forced
to depend upon the cooperation of the
Irish Nationalists, as Mr.. GLADSTONE
was in January, 1885?
We need not say that the question may
be fraught with momentous conse-
uuences to the future of Ireland. Now
that the Nationalists have obtained a
land purchase act of adequate dimen-
sions, and also the concession OF local
self-government so far as counties and
municipalities are concerned. there is
not much left for them 10 ask for except
the boon of a Dublin legislature. 1t
would formerly have been assumed that
a promise on the part Of British Liberals
to give Ireland Home Rule would re-
kindle the animosities of nineteen years
The attempt, however, Of Lord Dun
RAVEN and other Unionist ex-landlords
to gain Government sanction for par
TALLY elective council, equivalent to the
germ of a Dublin legislature. has indi-
Gated that Irish landowners, now that
they have been enabled to sell their
estates at fair pyices, no longer view
with passionate aversion the idea Of Ire
lands legislative autonomy. AT all
events Irish patriots have learned that
only by fishing in troubled waters can
they hope to land anything of value, and
Americans who wish them well will,
therefore, hope that in the twelvemonth
now beginning they will once more hold
the balance of power in the lower house
of Parliament, as they did in January,
1885, and again in 1925.
AS TO France, there are but few OBJ
servers of the political situation who
believe that the Combes Ministry will
manage to live out the year. 1t is true
enough that according TO all surface
indications the bill for the abolition of
the Concordat seems likely to prove
a sheet anchor rather than q cause of
shipwreck. No tie so firmly unites the
Socialists and the Radical Republicans,
who between them constitute a majority
of the Chamber Of Deputies, as their
vehement desire for an absolute divorce
of religion from the civil power in France.
No doubt, if the State is TO refuse to pay
any longer the stipends of the Catholic
clergy, consistency will require a similar
of salaries from Protestant
pastors and Jewish rabbis, but the failure
of Jews and Protestants TO make common
cause with the Catholics is ascribed TO a
secret understanding that the two former
of the French population
will ultimately be taken care Of 1t is
well known that by the Masonic lodges,
which are just now so powerful in France,
and Jews have long been
we'll nigh as heartily as Free
thinkers themselves II during 1905
there were 10 be no strenuous struggle
in the two houses of the French Parlia-
ment except that between the Catholic
Church and her implacable opponents
the stability Of the present Cabinet would
not be open to dispute.
There are two side issues, however,
on which it might at any hour be shat
tered. 1t is certain that many members
Of the normal majority regard with dis
gust and indignation the spy system
which the Combes Ministry inherited
from it's predecessors. but which at one
time it applied with peculiarly offensive
zeal. Under this odious system army
officers have been trained to spy upon