Los Angeles herald., 1908-03-29
ENGLISH POLITICS

II" HAT there VIII De SohSSi ~
victory on the island of Britain
Il at the approaching general eiee-
tion is conceded by keen observers OF
the tendencies of the times in the
limited Kingdom. The anomalous ma
tire of the Liberal party Will be It's
ruin. Indeed, it is doubtful whetner
If will ever be revived as the old LID
eral marty. The extreme Liberals are
hardly distinguishable from the Rad
icals or Socialists, while the Moder-
ates. being neither conservative nor
progressive. are in the condition OF
the unknown composition that was
described by a Scot as neither fish,
fesh. fowl nor good red herring" An
American reader will understand read
ilv and appreciate keenly the British
nolitical situation when he finds that,
as far as is possible to compare polit-
ical parties of the two greater branches
of the English speaking race, the Con-
servatives are the Republicans, the old
Liberals are the conservative Demo-
Gratis. With Radicals and Socialists
the possibility of differentiation ceases,
haulCdlS anu GOCietllSAo OCAAAo dAAhO OA
both sides of the Atlantic, and in real
ity one great party, with community
of interest, but with their local prob
lens characterized by conditions that
have grown up under the aristo- pluto
cratic form of government in the Brit
ish islands and the more or less pluto
cratic government of the United States.
We ask our readers not to be squeam-
ish over this use of the word pluto
cratic. We ask them to recognize the
fact that in this country power cannot
exist without money and that forces
that can command great expense funds
are able to conduct campaigns at a
great advantage over others who must
rely on voluntary work and such pub
Iicity-frequently uncomplimentary-a
can be secured in the newspapers.
Conditions in the United Kingdom
demonstrate the fact that it is the party |
OF the halfway house that will disap-
pear within the next few years, and |
not the reactionary and retrospective |
Conservative party. There will be only |
two great parties in the kingdom, one
looking forward, the other looking
backward. A similar prediction might
be made regarding the United States,
but there will be a greater lapse of
time before the prediction is fulfilled.
The reason-and it is an excellent
reason-is in the paradoxical fact that
the country that in its form of gov
eminent is the more progressive is at
r1esent the less progressive of the two
great English speaking powers. In the
United States there are no land tories,
enjoying privileges derived from own
ership of the soil, but here the pro-
dnction of wealth and of weather.
ing interests has resulted in the evo-
luton of a class the members of which
in some measure, albeit unconsciously,
have become identified with or sub
servient to the interests with which
they are associated.
Please remember our useful formula:
Human nature is fundamentally the
same nature all over the world, and
It has not been changed since man
began to dominate creation. There
fore similar causes produce similar ef-
fects in all ages and all stages Of
human society, subject only to the
variations caused by local and acci-
dental or incidental transitory con-
That is why there is truth
in the proverb, History repeats itself"
Ii has to- Can't help itself, until human
nature is changed
fI. 81 SO
are they who believe that their inter-
SITS are being sacrificed-men like the
Tory squires and squireens of Ireland,
who cannot understand why the gov
arnment should insist on restoring to
he people the lands their ancestors
stole from the people. Inasmuch as
hey are being bought off and are not
ceing chased violently out of the coun-
try off which they have been leeching
hey ought to be duly thankful. II the
people of the British islands and the
United States were in the habit of
with French vehe-
nence and lack of dignity the surviv-
ing Irish alien landlords would be hunt
ing for jobs instead of lining up at
the treasury. The social democracies
Of Great Britain and the United States
are moving apace and it would not be
astonishing if the reunion and fedora
ton of the English speaking races,
which will be the most remarkable in
ciGent Of twentieth century history,
would be effected under their auspices
and direction rather than under the
guidance OF any of the existing parties
on either side of the Atlantic