Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08
IN England
Home Rule Again an important
Factor.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

| Special Cablegram to The Star.
| LONDON, January THE general election,
so close a. hand. is not proving as exciting
this year might have been expected.
Probably this is due to variety of causes.
In the first place there is feeling that
| there is not the wide and deep-seated diff
! ference between the two great parties, the
liberals and the conservatives, manifested
| in some of the great general elections Of
the past. 1t takes an economic proposition
| like the agitation for the repeal of the
corn laws or nationalistic proposition like
that of home rule TO thoroughly rouse the
| voters in the united kingdom of Great Brit
| ain and Ireland. One trouble this year Is
| found In the fact that the lines of de-
narration between the two great parties
are not as clean cut usual IN an election
In tails country. In many cases it would
probably be difficult to distinguish between
a conservative candidate with home rule
leanings and a liberal candidate with anti
Irish tendencies.
Many times in political campaigns the
situation closely resembles that of two
armies lining up for straight out and out
fight. 1t can readily be seen that this con-
ditfon of affairs does not obtain this year
In this country Take the most import
ant questions before the voters First
there is the proposition of home rule. In
Ireland the voters and all OF the Irish party
candidates are out and out home rulers
They do not in the least agree with the
position assumed by the new liberal leader
and prime minister, Sir Henry Campbell
Bannerman, who is, however, extremely
friendly to Ireland and the Irish. Sir Henry
mpbell-Bannermans position can prob
ably best be understood as that of an ul-
Innate home ruler Then there is that wing
of the liberal army commanded by Lord
Rosebery. the former liberal premier, and
Rosebery openly announces that under all
circumstances and conditions he will be
found in opposition to home rule. Upon
this one proposition alone it will be seen
that the liberal army Is divided into three
distinct wings. while the conservatives al
though as general thing art-home rulers
cannot all be said u be as irreconcilable in
their position as is Lord Roseberry him
self.
Fiscal Reform.
The question uppermost in the minds of
the voters, next to that of home rule, is, of
course, fiscal reform. Here the conserva-
tives are having their troubles The an
Client historic position OF the tory party de-
spite some of the somersaults INDUCED In
by some of the tory leaders in days past
and gone, may be said to be anti-free trade
And yet so strongly have the teachings of
Adam Smith and John Stuart Mills and
Golden and John Bright and Gladstone
been absorbed by Engllsh-spea king COM
mun1tles that free trade may almost be
OF the empire Certain 1t is that in a short
cam alsn. like that through which Great
Britain has just been passing, 1t would
not be possible to overturn the average
Ensllshman's IDEAS upon this subject and
establish pronounced protective tariff, Yet
Mr.. Cha mberlain and his followers In some
or the great manufacturing sections like
Manchester and Birmingham are the hottest
Kind of anti-free traders. Mr. Balfour, the
former conservative prime minister, drops
the subject of tariff reform like a hot poker
But he Is no more of an adept In getting
away from this subject than is his great
opponent, Sir Henry Campbell Zimmerman.
IN getting away from the Irish question,
Both of the great leaders of the two great
parties have been absolutely afraid to dis
cuss the two great issues of the day Nat
uFadIy TINS has taken the heart out of the
campaign, and 1t probably accounts for the
iact Glat the interest in the general cleo
liohs this year is not as pronounced az II
otherwise would have been
A correspondent interviewed one of the
icadinG irish members of parliament put
tihS plain questions TO him as to the req
son why the Irish nationalists were SO in
slSteht upon fastening the home rule policy
upon the liberal party this year after hav-
ing twice been defeated along similar lines
lie was asked If he did not regard this
KIND of politics as impractical, and in the
Hght or results past and results to come
absolutely nonsensical. His reply is signifi-
can't.