New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-20
THE SPIRIT OF LIBERALISM.

An apt quotation from buI NC vi
title page and a dedication to Inc
Manchester Guardian" abundantly de-
note the spirit OF this volume. Nor does
IFS title mislead. II is not merely "
history OF the Liberal party, but OF LID
eralism as a political principle and pol
,cv and habit OF mind. Incidentally
IS a pretty complete history. from
partisan point OF view, OF British poi''-
teal history in FIVE reigns. For the au-
thor not unreasonably conceives Lio-
erallsm to have had, IL not It's orlSih'
at least its effective advent as poiiti-
cal force at the beginning of the reign
Of George III. and accordingly begins
his history at that date. We may auu
that he brings the narrative down TO
1918. and thus gives us much needed
but seldom found history OF our own
times.
II would not be easy TO commend the
work too highly for It's readable quail
ties. without making an obvious-and
therefore offensive-effort at fine VIII
ing the author has adopted style OF
delightful ease and grace, and often OF
compelling and convincing strength
lie writes, OF course. as Liberal ana
partisan. But his work is seldom
marred by political bigotry, while II
is often illumined with notable touches
Of such impartiality as We might
scarcely expect to find from the .hand
of an earnest partisan writing OF the
controversial matters Of his own Day
Thus he confesses the frequent failure
Of the Liberal party, If not Of Liberal
ism itself, in dealing with foreign AZ
fairs; a criticism which has often been
made by Conservatives, and which at
times has been resented by Liberal pol
iticlans with more heat than discretion.
Indeed, he begins by frankly admitting
that ''by far the most difficult of all the
tasks which Liberalism has to perform
is it's conduct Of foreign policy
He himself meets with this difficulty.
and consequently falls into a curious
error. "Omcial representations to
foreign state" he says, ARE always
useless, and often exaggerate the evils
TO which they refer" He adds various
examples Of their inutility, with which
no doubt history teens. Yet Lord John
RusseIrs dispatch Of 1860 in support
Of United Italy achieved triumphant
success" and because Of IT the des-
potic powers held their hands, and the
italian nation was enabled TO work out
its own destiny Also, in commenting
upon Gladstone's definition of the Lib
cral foreign policy in 1871, Mr.. Blease
says: ct justifies diplomatic protest
against the immoral treatment Of one
nation by another" Surely, there is a
discrepancy between the estimate first
cited and these later testimonials.
The discussion Of British relations
with America is not always judlcious.
We cannot accept Mr.. Blease's ipSc
. diIit that in 1851 the United States
u were all legally independent except
for certain common purposes OF de-
fence" There we're many other i'm
portant purposes beside defence which
were common 10 all the states. ana
which legally united them. We must
suspect him, too, Of overpartiality
toward Gladstone when he refers TO his
speech about jefferson Davis having
created a nation as merely 'indiscreet."
In fact, il was VIGOROUSLY deliberate,
studied, and charged with malice
aforethought" for the purpose Of doing
the Federal cause all possible harm.
ON the same page, however, is pas
sage OF so great justice and graphic
power that we must pardon the posi-
HE over-emphasis with which it be-
gins The author is speaking Of a great
meeting at Manchester in sympathy
with the North
This is probably the noblest thing that
has ever been done in the world. IL IS
not uncommon for men and women, IN
the excitement OF war and In defence OF
their homes and children. 10 sacrifice
themselves and all they have. But the
act OF the Lancashire WorkfOlk was done
i'm cold blood and IN defiance OF every
majestic in human records than the spec
tacle of these starving men and women,
gathered IN the very shadow OF their
dark and silent mills. 10 encourage those
whose success meant the continuing OF
their own miseries.
Mr.. Blease does not hesitate 10 ex-
coriate the present Liberal government
whenever It departs. in his view, from
true LIBERALISM, At times he IS posi-
lively hitter against IL. Mr.. Georges
treatment Of the surplus in the budget
Of 1912 affords r vicious precedent
and Mr.. Asquith has displayed toward
woman suffrage "a Toryism as com
tlete as that Of Castlereagh." Indeed,
on this latter subject the policy Of the
government has been I'm the very tenn
per OF the Toryism OF the French Revo-
luton" the forcible feeding Of militant
being "of almost incredible
There has also been, ne de-
ciarcs. general failure OF foreign
policy" The most hostile critics Of
the Asoulth ministry could scarcely so
further than that, yet its most thick
and thin supporters will find II difficult
entirely 10 dismiss the vigorous indict-
ment made by man who invariably
holds principle above mere policy.
The hook is married by few errors Of
why should Mr.. Blesse