New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-06
A BLOW TO LIBERALS
EDUCATION BILLS END.
Causes of the FailGre-Runors or
Dissolution Doubted.
1copyr.=ht. 1sos. sy The Tribune Association


Ts,a,,sl =, french Gable 10 The Tribunel
London. Dec 1.-The hopes of the optlrnisos
have not been fulfilled by a settlement Vi '
education strife Bigotry and politics nave "
,rnphed over Christian tolerance ana lie In
rsbersl bin has been abandoned as n1isCa4ON
lated failure If Premier Asquith had mace any
,,,--ha- concession to the Archbishop Of Canter-
hurry the Nonconformists aad Radicals "oui0
have revolted and the Ministry would have oeeh
,,,se4 he has saved the situation by tlnely
.5tsr,av Of fnfexible frmness, but has htue 10
show for the protracted autumn session except
1he children's bill although there may YET DC
time for sending the Port OF Loncoh Di'' IiN
other measures TO the House OF Loros- MS
work as q tactician now seems less clever Nl0ii
a. aid = few weeks ago II morals are good pol
flies his failures are successes, for ne mas 0eeH
on the right side OF two public questions
F,ar1isans are now wrangling over the tactical
,,oin+s of the negotiations. The Prime Minister
Is reproached for neglectng the vital part OF the
settlement. namely. the pounds, shillings ana
,,enoe required for carrying out system Oh
catholic and Anglican schools. The Archolshop
Of Canterbury is tainted with raising the hgures
in response TO the importunate demands OF inc
High C-hurchmen and Mr.. Balfour is charged
with deliberately wrecking the settlement Ioi
roliticaI effect An accurate summary "ouIo
be that the bishops and the Prime Minister
z
corist. and were well supported by the Noncon-
so-r7ists and Moderate Churchmen. the poll
ricians Offering little resistance, but that the
High Churchmen under the leadership OF LORD
Halifax and Lord Hugh Cecil, were bent upon
preventing a settlement II tie caucus al
l.ansdoHne House determined the fate OF the
licensing bill the caucus at Church House De
Trived the bishops OF clerical and lay support
and exposed the hollowness Of the education
compromise.
Ruuors Of dissolution Of Parliament are
rife. but the Conservatives are mainly respon-
sibie Tor them. They affect TO believe that no
other course is open 70 the government after the
failure Of its tyyo principal measures at the
autumn session. Reginald Nchenna and other
ministers lay stress the fact that the govern
rlent has another resource, namely, the enact
raent OF effective measures which the Lords can
not veto. The liquor interest can be heavily
taxed and the grievances Of the NonconfOrmlsts
1edressed 10y clauses in financial measures and
by an administration directed against voluntary
schools. The government is not likely TO take
action which viii confirm the right Of the Lords
20 force dissolution by the licensing bill and in
volve the surrender Of the caucuses at Lans-
doEvne House and Church House; that Will be a
humiliating retreat at moment when the
Lords themselves are preparing 10 set their
house IN order by the reforms outlined in the re-
port Of the select committee headed by Lord
Rosebery- That report, while conspicuous for
lUcidity, IS inconcluSive on 2 referendum 10 the
country, when the houses of Parliament
pitted against each other on important measures
a referendum alone viii reconcile a Liberal re
arrangement Of the hereditary house on the or
DER OF merit with the election of representative
Peers-reforns which may greatly increase its
authority and Justify suspensive veto upon
measures adopted by the Commons.
Without doubt there are political reasons for
dissolution early in the year. The decision of
the Court OF Appeal. prohibiting the use of
trade union levies for political purposes, makes
the Labor party more dependent than it was
upon the Liberal coalition, and tends TO reduce
the number Of three-cornered contests. The
Liberals. moreover. have fun lists OF candidates
and in better condition for a general cleo
ton than their opponents are, and the whips
contend that the loss of seats will be less seri-
Gus now than it VIII be eighteen months hence
There is however, no effective party cry, and
failures in legislation are POOR substitutes for
constructive policies. While the situation IS
clouded with uncertainty. il is probable that the
government VIII remain in Office until the con-
ditions Of the budget are understood and an
other twelve months. il David Lloyd-George sue
ceeds in discovering effective sources Of taxa
ton. The ministers, by devoting their energies
20 new schemes Of constructive social reform
may find themselves eventually in a better posi-
lion for appealing 10 the country This implies
unity among themselves, and this has been re-
stored by the abandonment Of the educational
bin and the adoption Of q strenuous naval policy.
I N. F.