Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-04-21
Enrland,s Everyday Problems.

England's Everyday EroDAems.
English politics has an interest for
American observers whenever there Is
new deal ON In the government and
innumerable problems are drifting on
the sea Of public discomfort Apropos
of Eagland's many church dissensions
at a former period, a Frenchman said,
"The English are people having forty
religions and only one sauce" Today
the Briton of up to date views sees
at least the half of forty issues clamor.
ing for settlement, yet has only one
ballot to spread over them. Being
commercial nation, the fiscal policy Of
England is a vital one, and her pro-
gramme for public education, land
holding and the workingmen is init
mately connected with human advance
ment. No change In Englands foreign
policy is expected to follow the change
In administration. 1t has been pointed
out that in the past twenty-five years
the governments foreign policy has
not been challenged by united oppo-
sition at the polls. 1t happens that the
Japanese alliance which the late Con-
servative cabinet extended was orig
inally Liberal movement, and the
Liberals cannot do less than defend it
against the attacks of critics In and
out of parliament. They have all along
approved of the glo-French under
standing, following the cue of their
prophet, Gladstone, in his sympathy
for France. Anyway, the English are
good sportsmen and, however much
they may fall out over rates and
schools and the Irish question, usually
stand up for whatever game the gov
eminent sees fit to play with nations.
But in home affairs the near future
of English politics seems to have some
novelties in store. Over the fiscal ques |
ton the camps are sharply divided, |
but on the one side it is held that the
nations fiscal policy is not the chief
issue The Conservatives ask for new
deal, which is plainly unpopular, and
In order to avoid defeat on the question |
before the whole nation, as they have
been warned will be the result by scat |
tering elections the past year, make
their strongest plea for support on
their Irish policy. 1t seems to be taken
for granted that the Liberals, If given
rope, will go too far in befriending Ire
land and come to grief, as Gladstone
did. Pushed to the wall, the Liberals
declare they will not grant legislative
independence to Ireland, but will con-
cede other reforms which the Irish
party has demanded. These two ques-
tions, the fiscal policy and Ireland's
status, hold the chief attention in the
public mind apparently, but in the end
it may transpire that other issues com.
bined can force these into the back
ground
In England the educational question
takes hold upon the religious sentl- |
ments of the masses. The Liberals |
assert that public education has been
left in state Of chaos by the last ad-
and that 1t devolves upon
them to make radical reforms In the
reform system recently established in
the face of bitter protest. The British
father is very stubborn about the
teaching set before his children and |
If the chance is given him at the polls
may put his private interests above the
party or national ones of tariff and |
Irish home rule. Land tax reform is |
also on the Liberal programme, and
that is most likely to influence minds
not deeply aroused over the larger
vital issues" scheduled by the cam
paign orators. Last of all, the work
ingmen's problem thrusts itself to the
fore with 10000 unemployed. The
late Premier Balfour was staggered
By this suggestive spectacle. Ills sue