Year: 1870

Parliamentary Progress and the Advance to


DemOcracy-Failure Of the Education Bill.


LONDON, April %, 1870.


MIR. FOrsters Education bill, over whose introduc.
ton there was such liberal flourish Of trumpets
may virtually be regarded as abandoned. Every
day Its chance of passing IS becoming less certain
and even those who are Its most sanguine support
ers are now beginning reluctantly to admit that at
least another year must eapse before English schools
can be placed on anything like the footing Of those
of Prussia or the United States The Vice President
Of the Council as may well be imagined is in state
of despair the prospect for he had set his heart
upon achieving the distinction Of carrying the mea.
sure. and linking his name with great scheme OF
popular education. He has striven earnestly and
anx0usy to get Mr.. Gladstone to afford him facili-
ties for pushing on the bil but willing the latter
is to Obligc his colleague in any possible way,
the public business Is at present In such an unpre-
cedentedy backward state as to make progress with
education altogether out Of the question. The con-
servatves, for reasons that are quite transparent
share in the grief OF incOnsOable Mr. Forster Meta
phorically they rending their garments scat
tering ashes. 'The bill, the whole bill; nothing but
the BILL" they are crying out. "Educatlon is in a
scandaious state. The people are dying for lack of
intellectual nourishment Let us have less talk and
more works. At first sight it seems strange that
the tory squires, who striving their very utmost
to delay. talk out and defeat the Land BILL should
manifest such hot haste to get the other great
sure OF the Ministry passed into law. Even such
stanch defenders OF Church and State as the Mar
qus OF salisbury and the Earl Of Derby are almost
impatient In their eagerness to remove OBJ
structlons out Of the way and have I'M
plOred the Premier to prosecute the bill at
whatever cost. Strange, however, this consuming
zeal on the part Of the tories appears upon the sur
face, 1t admits OF very easy and rational explanation
They are AFRAID OF delay. They love the present bill
because 1t is so strictly conservative In principle and
preserves intact that spirit OF denominatonalism
which they worship so devoutly. Well do they know
that If the opportunity Of settling the question for
some years be now lost they will have to succumb to
their adversaries and be compelled to accept mea-
sure drafted upon the enlightened basis laid down
by John Stuart Mill and the republican party. They
are aware, moreover, that IL the question is hung
up for another session or two they Will he beaten
and England will have made one more stride towards
the establishment Of those democratic institutions of
which Mr. John Bright has been so ardent and con.
sistent an admrer. Hence their unwonted zeal On
behalf OF bill introduced by liberal cabinet and
framed ana inspired by their arch enemy, MIR. Clad
s0ne.


MR.. BRIGHT ACTING AS MARRIOTT


Tne radicals and secuiarstS who are agthting lor
an educational system akin to chat of the United
states make no secret OF the fact that they believe
Mr. Bright to oe upon their SIDE. Certain 1t is that