The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1906-01-19
THE LIBERAL LANDSLIDE.

4
to all sides. Changes come and &c
in politics, but there are usually
certain men who, from their prom.
nence, are enabled to weather the
storm, just as certain financial in.
situations during times of panic
escape without being compelled to
close their doors.
In England the proudest and most
conspicuous statesmen have been
thrown from their pedestal into the
dust. Arthur Balfour, who ruled
with an iron hand as premier for
many years, has been ordered to
remain at home by his constituents.
Lord Hugh Cecil, the distinguished
son of the late Premier Salisbury,
has been retired from public lite.
Several other statesmen who have
figured conspicuously in the politics
of the empire and who had every
reason to consider themselves safe
and beyond defeat, have been sent
into retirement by comparatively
obscure Liberal unionists.
Another feature and what will be
considered an ominous one by the
ultra conservative, is the startling
growth of the labor representation.
The election has not gone very far
as yet, but already the laboring
element has doubled its strength
The Socialists who have been boot
ed at and ridiculed for so long, have
also gained foothold, and these
are disturbing elements in all de-
Lucrative bodies. On the whole,
the new Premier, Sir Henry Camp
bell-Bannerman, is likely to have
an unruly set to deal with, and it
will require all his suavity and equi-
nimity to preserve his dignity.
Looking over the situation super
ficially and without any definite or
intimate knowledge of the causes
that brought a b out the sudden
change, it can only be assumed that
they are largely economic. The
South African war taxed not only |
the reserve forces OF England, but
the productive energies of her peo-
pie. 1t was a war that could not |
have been defended on grounds of
morality and certainly as finan-
cidl venture it was sad mistake.
Then England's colonial politics
which has made of her the greatest
Iand-grabber in the world, causing
her to pick up every scrap of terri
tory to be found over seas, be it the
ancient empire of the illustrious
Tamerlane or barren rock in some
.ar-ott sea, has been exceedingly
1t has compelled the
ration to expend enormous sums
IN navy, the construction and
maintenance of which is becoming
| serious question. England al
ways provided navy that was the
superior of any other two navles
n the world and this gave her a
mastery of the sea by which she
aid great store. AS long as new
territories were to be had and as
ong as new countries remained to
,e plundered, she found the enter
,rise pro6ta Bile; the superficial sur
ace of the globe being all taken
Up and every nation robbed that
an be robbed, England's navy is a
treat expense without reciprocal
evenue.
Germany, France and the United
States have come into the field in
ate years as manufacturing coun-
ries and they have destroyed Brl- ,
ish ascendency and in many places
occupied the field once held exclu-
lively by Great Britain. This has
brought about depression ia British
rade and it has thrown multiplied
thousands OF people out of employ
nent to find fool and shelter as
'est they could. Living under a
government and being
destitute of that national spirit of
which animates Amer
can citizens, they naturally look to
heir government as child would
ook to its father tor relief. When
wenty thousand peaceable, but
hungry and desperate laborlng peo- ..
de marched out and sought relief
rom the British government, Pre-
nier Balfour admitted his inability
o do anything, and read them (,
Iomily on good behavior as loyal 2
ubjects, which had an undertone |
fla threat in it. Had the laboring }
,eopie been in ST. Petersburg or /